Monday, March 02, 2009

MORRISTOWN: A Morris County corrections officer was charged with sexual assault and official misconduct after detectives said he coerced a man performing community service into allowing the officer to perform a sex act on him, Morris County Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi, Esq. announced Sunday.

Lon Sainato, 52, of Whippany, was charged yesterday and remains in the Sussex County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail set by Superior Court Judge Salem Ahto.

The alleged act took place on February 22, 2009 at the Cedar Knolls Fire House while the victim was performing his community service and while Sainato was supervising him in his official capacity as a law-enforcement officer, Bianchi said.

The victim, 30, was ordered to perform 60 days on the Sheriff's Labor Assistance Program (SLAP), a community-service program run by the Morris County Sheriff's Department. As a SLAP inmate, the victim is on probation and/or parole and is institutionally detained on those days on which he serves his SLAP sentence.

Bianchi said the investigation was conducted by his office's Sex Crimes Unit, Professional Standards Unit and Special Enforcement Unit in cooperation with the sheriff's Internal Affairs Unit.

Bianchi said, "The Morris County Prosecutor's Office has investigated and will now prosecute another public official who has allegedly violated their oath of office, and abused the privilege of honorably serving the public. This officer brought shame and dishonor to himself but not to an otherwise honorable profession and well-run agency. Throughout this investigation Morris County Sheriff Edward V. Rochford, Undersheriff Ralph McGrane, Warden Frank Corrente and the Correctional Facility Internal Affairs staff fully cooperated and assisted in this investigation. I continue to have full confidence in the Morris County Sheriff's Office Correctional Facility. The conduct of this officer in no way is reflective of the department as a whole."

Sheriff Edward Rochford said, "If these allegations are proven, this officer is a disgrace to his profession. He had control over another person and completely violated the public trust. There is no place in law enforcement for anyone who is alleged to have acted in such a reprehensible way. The Prosecutor's Office moved swiftly on this and I thank them for getting this person off the street. Officer Sainato has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of his court hearing."

Sainato was hired by Morris County in 1996. He has been assigned to the Sheriff's Labor assistance program for the past 10 years. He was earning $73,000 Rochford said.

Despite these pending charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt following a jury trial at which the defendant has all of his rights guaranteed by the U.S. and New Jersey Constitutions and relevant state law.