Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced today that Gery Destra, 21, of Maplewood was sentenced to 29 years in New Jersey State Prison yesterday by the Honorable Verna Leath, Judge of the Superior Court, for sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl.

In October of 2017 an Essex County jury convicted Destra of aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, and child endangerment for offenses that occurred when the child was 6 and 7-years old.

Destra must serve 25 years of his sentence before he is eligible for parole, according to Assistant Prosecutor Kathleen Lyons-Boswick, an Essex County assistant prosecutor who tried the case. He faced a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Under the Jessica Lunsford Act a defendant convicted of raping a child younger than 13 years of age must serve a minimum 25-year prison sentence before he is eligible for parole. Destra will also be under parole supervision for life and required to register under Megan’s Law when he is released from prison.
“This has been a long and trying ordeal for the victim and her family. Yet, they had the strength and courage to see this through. Now, a man who poses a serious threat will be behind bars for a very, very long time,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Lyons-Boswick.

“It took a great deal of bravery and courage for the child to come to court, much less talk about something so traumatizing before the jury,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Kathleen Lyons-Boswick, who tried the case.

Following a trial before the Honorable Verna Leath, Judge of the Superior Court, the jury convicted Destra of aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child, for incidents that occurred when the child was between six and seven years old.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 25, 2018. Destra faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years to life in New Jersey State Prison. Under the Jessica Lunsford Act, defendants convicted of raping children younger than 13 are required to serve a minimum of 25 years in prison without parole.

Acting Prosecutor Laurino would like to thank members of the Maplewood Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit for their hard work in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

Destra is currently being held in the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark.