Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that the Honorable Judge Peter Ryan, J.S.C., sentenced Robert Johnson, 46, of Newark to eight years in New Jersey State Prison for sexually assaulting a developmentally delayed 14-year-old girl in the bathroom at a Rutgers University library in Newark.

On Feb. 24, 2011, three days after being released from state prison and while still wearing an ankle bracelet monitor, Johnson engaged the victim in a conversation at Penn Station in Newark and lured her to the library where he attacked her in the men’s bathroom of the Dana Library at approximately 12:30 p.m. He then walked her back to the train station.

An alert female police officer thought the girl was behaving strangely and began to question her, according to Assistant Prosecutor Gigi Scoles, who handled the sentencing. The victim told the officer what occurred and Johnson was arrested.

Judge Ryan sentenced Johnson to eight years in state prison and ordered lifetime supervision under Megan’s Law, the state law which requires potentially dangerous sex offenders to register with law enforcement.

Prior to this offense, Johnson had 19 arrests and 10 indictable convictions. He served time in state prison on four prior occasions.

Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that Robert Johnson, 45, a registered sex offenders under Megan’s Law, the state law which requires potentially dangerous sex offenders to register with law enforcement, was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a disabled 14-year-old girl at a Rutgers University Library in Newark.

At the time of the alleged assault, Johnson, who lives in Newark, was wearing an ankle monitoring device and was under parole supervision. He had been released from state prison on Monday, Feb. 21 –just three days before the assault.

The incident allegedly occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24 in a men’s bathroom in the Dana Library. New Jersey Transit police at Penn Station were the first to encounter the victim, who is physically handicapped, and realized something was wrong. When they questioned the victim she told them she had been sexually assaulted. The New Jersey Transit Police and the Rutgers University Police are conducting the investigation along with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Assistant Prosecutor Rasheedah Carraway, who is handling the case, said Johnson has been charged with two counts of 2nd degree sexual assault and two counts of 3rd degree endangering the welfare of a child. Bail has been set at $500,000 by the Honorable Ronald Wigler, J.S.C.

The investigation is active and ongoing. No other information is available at this time.

These are mere accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.