Sentencing in State Vs. Dennis Conover

Toms River, NJ – Defendant Dennis Conover, 34, of Manalapan was sentenced today by Judge James M. Blaney,J.S.C. to 15 years in New Jersey State Prison with a No Early Release stipulation for the charge of 1st degree Aggravated Sexual Assault concurrent to 3 years in New Jersey State Prison for a charge of 3rd degree Endangering.  The judge also set provisions of Megan’s law, Parole Supervision for Life and no contact with the victim as per Nicole’s Law.

Conover’s co-defendant, Mary Ellen Deane, 29, of Lakewood, NJ was tried separately in March of 2014 and was found guilty of 5 counts of First Degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, three counts of Second Degree Sexual Assault, and five counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

The sentencing is the result of a contested trial that was held in May of 2014 in which Conover was found guilty by jury.  The guilty verdict stems from an incident which occurred in Lakewood, NJ in the summer of 2010.  The juvenile victim was 12 years of age at the time of the offense.  She is currently 16 years old and testified during the trial to multiple acts between herself and both defendants (Conover and Deane) which occurred in both Lakewood and Jackson.  Conover and Deane are incarcerated in the Ocean County Jail.

Ocean County Prosecutor Detectives Anthony Paciulli, John Caroll, and John Murphy handled the case investigation.  Victim Witness Advocate Debra Giordano assisted the victim throughout the process.  The case was successfully prosecuted by Senior Assistant Prosecutor Terry Ann Linardakis.  The presiding trial judge was the Honorable James M. Blaney, J.S.C.

 

Dennis Conover