Guilty Trenton man molests teenage female, gets no jail time
TRENTON » A city man who molested a teenage family member has been sentenced to five years of probation and must register as a Megan’s Law sex offender, among other court-imposed requirements.
Mateo Alavez, 40, formally received his non-incarceration punishment on Friday, but that may be the least of his worries.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE, has placed a detainer on Alavez requesting local authorities to hold him for an additional 48 hours at the Mercer County Correction Center. ICE wants to assume custody of Alavez to carry out immigration court proceedings, and that process could result in Alavez getting deported from the United States.
Armed with probable cause, Trenton Police Detective Thomas Brophy arrested Alavez on Jan. 4, 2016, charging the defendant with multiple counts of sexual assault against a 14-year-old girl. Authorities locked him up at the county jail on $100,000 full bond or cash bail.
A grand jury in October 2016 handed up an indictment charging Alavez with three counts of second-degree sexual assault, two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and one count of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact.
Alavez has confessed to inappropriately touching the victim. He pleaded guilty to a single reduced charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact on April 24. As a result of his plea bargain, Mercer County Assistant Prosecutor Heather Hadley on Friday disposed of Alavez’s sexual assault and child endangerment charges.
Hadley consulted with the victim’s family and said they are in agreement with the non-incarceration punishment of probation, provided Alavez undergoes a psychological evaluation.
Mercer County Superior Court Judge Anthony Massi upheld the plea agreement on Friday, ordering Alavez to five years of probation. The sentence also requires Alavez to register as a sex offender and to have no contact with the victim or any child under the age 18. Furthermore, Alavez must undergo a mental health evaluation and remain offense-free.
Massi also prohibited Alavez from possessing a firearm or any other dangerous weapon and ordered him to remain within the jurisdiction of Mercer County while serving out his probation.
Alavez has been awarded 529 days of jail credit for the time he spent in custody prior to sentencing. He admitted guilt to a fourth-degree crime that carries a potential maximum penalty of 18 months or approximately 550 days in state prison but retains the right to challenge or appeal his sentencing.
State public defender Olivia Moorhead represented Alavez at his sentencing on Friday as he communicated to the court through an interpreter. “Mr. Alavez has taken responsibility for his actions,” she said.
Federal ICE agents over the next few days may be paying Alavez a visit.
“Immigration reached out to me,” the assistant prosecutor Hadley said at Alavez’s punishment hearing, “so they are aware of his sentencing.”