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Thomas Crandell was convicted of all 26 counts brought against him in the indictment, including five counts of aggravated sexual assault, according to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II.
Crandell, the victims’ stepfather, began sexually assaulting one of the victims when she was 14 years old, Stephens said.
He continued sexually assaulting her until she was 17 years old, when the crimes were reported, said Nicole Buermann, an assistant prosecutor in the Special Victims Unit.
Crandell sexually assaulted the first victim’s younger sister twice in the summer of 2018; at the time she was 14 years old, Buermann said.
“The victims and their family have been looking forward to this day for a very long time,” said Buermann, who tried the case along with Assistant Prosecutor Dana Kutzleb. “We want to thank the courageous victims for coming forward, and we are glad they finally received justice.”
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