Woodcliff Lake Man Convicted On Charges For Sexually Assaulting Preteen
Friday, November 1, 2024, 6:45 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
HACKENSACK, NJ.- Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella reported that following a trial in Bergen County Superior Court, a jury has found Marcelo Velez, 59, formerly of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, guilty on charges for the aggravated sexual assault of a child that occurred in January 2021.
The conviction stems from an incident that began on Sunday, January 3, 2021, when the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit received a report from the Woodcliff Police Department regarding allegations of the sexual assault of a child. A subsequent investigation revealed that Velez engaged in sexual acts on a child who was under the age of thirteen inside his Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey home.
Following the investigation, Velez was arrested by Detectives of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Woodcliff Lake Police Department and charged with crimes related to the sexual assault and was detained pending trial.
Jury Finds Velez Guilty On Charges
On Tuesday, October 29, 2024, following a trial that began earlier in October before Superior Court Judge James X. Sattely, a jury found Velez guilty of the charges of first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, two counts of Sexual Assault, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, by Engaging in Sexual Conduct.
Velez Faces Life In State Prison
Following the jury return their verdict, Judge Sattely accepted the jury’s verdict and filed it with the court. Judge Sattely scheduled sentencing for January 24, 2025, at which time Velez faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years and up to life in New Jersey State Prison pursuant to the Jessica Lunsford Act.
Prosecutor Musella thanks Assistant Prosecutors Natalie Candela and Bethany Ventola for their countless hours of preparation and their zealous advocacy for the victim in this case. Prosecutor Musella also commends Detective James Paolozzi, Detective Diane DaSilva, and the members of the Woodcliff Lake Police Department for their care, skill, and professionalism in investigating this matter.
