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Jonathan Bonilla was booked into the Bergen County Jail following his arrest late Monday on charges of sexual assault and child endangerment.
Hasbrouck Heights police received a complaint Sunday night alleging that Bonilla "engaged in sexual penetration" with the teen, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
Members of Musella's Special Victims Unit arrested him following an investigation with borough police, the prosecutor said.
Under New Jersey state law, statutory rape occurs when one of the partners is between 13 and 16 and the other is at least four years older.
SEE: It's Still Rape
Those adults who claim “she/he looked 18″ — or said the victim showed a fake ID — have no defense, under what is known as the standard of strict liability. An adult also can’t claim that he or she was seduced.
If convicted, an adult faces up to 10 years in prison if the youngster was between 13 and 16. Penalties are much more severe if the child is younger than that.
Convicted adults also must register as Megan’s Law offenders, with lifetime parole.
Defendants in statutory rape cases also can be sued in civil court for personal injury.
Bonilla will remain in the jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
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