Passaic Man Sentenced To Nearly 7 Decades For Sexually Assaulting A Child

Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 3:15 P.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

PASSAIC, NJ.- On Friday, a 36-year-old Passaic, New Jersey man learned he would likely die in New Jersey State Prison after he was sentenced for sexually assaulting a child for nearly seven years, beginning when the child was just 10 years old. Then, while in custody, threatened and attempting bribe witnesses to recant the statements to police. 

     According to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, on Friday, January 17, 2025, Sergio Bernal, 36, of Passaic, appeared in Passaic County Superior Court and was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Marilyn C. Clark to 69 years in State Prison. Bernal will be required to serve 42 years before becoming eligible for parole. Upon his release from prison, Bernal will be subject to parole supervision for life and Megan’s Law registration requirements.

Bernal Convicted At Trial

     On June 17, 2024, following a trial in Passaic County Superior Court, a jury found Bernal guilty on the charges of three counts of first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault; three counts of second-degree Sexual Assault; three counts of second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child; third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child; third-degree Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact; and second-degree Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution.

Bernal Additionally Convicted Of Witness Tamper

     Bernal was additional found guilty on the charges of one count of third-degree Terroristic Threats; two counts of third-degree Witness Tampering; two counts of third-degree Conspiracy to Commit Witness Tampering; two counts of second-degree Bribery of a Witness; two counts of second-degree Conspiracy to Commit Bribery of a Witness; and one count of fourth-degree Tampering with Physical Evidence.

     The conviction and sentence stem from an investigation that began on August 5, 2020, when members of the Passaic Police Department contacted the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit after a report that a 16-year-old child had been sexually assaulted in Passaic, New Jersey, and an investigation was launched.

     During the investigation, Detectives conducted multiple interviews with witnesses, including the child victim. The child victim reported being sexually assaulted by Bernal on multiple occasions between October 2013 and August 2020 at multiple residences in the City of Passaic. Following the investigation, Bernal was taken into custody and charged with multiple child sex crimes. After being taken into custody, Detectives uncovered that Bernal had attempted to bribe several witnesses to recant their statements to Detectives.