Crime & Safety

Middlesex County Jail Administrator Charged with Sexual Assault

Assistant Director Derick Stevens allegedly sexually assaulted a female inmate 11 years ago.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan and Edmond C. Cicchi, warden at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center, announced that the assistant director of the facility was charged Thursday, Dec. 22, with sexually assaulting a woman 11 years ago when she was being held at the county’s youth detention center.

Derick Stevens, 39, of Burlington Township also was charged with hindering his apprehension and witness tampering, after investigators determined that he asked the woman on Dec. 5, 2011, not to talk to authorities about the sexual assault and offered her money to remain silent.

Stevens, who has worked for the Middlesex County Office of Adult Corrections and Youth Services since Aug. 19, 1996, was suspended from his $70,291-a-year job without pay on Dec. 8, after the woman reported the sexual assault.

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He surrendered to investigators Thursday at the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Department in New Brunswick.

The charges were filed against Stevens following an investigation by Sgt. Paul DeAmicis of the Middlesex County Office of Adult Corrections and Youth Services, and Investigator Karleen Duca of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

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During the investigation, it was determined that Stevens and the woman had sexual relations at the youth detention center in North Brunswick on one occasion between Sept., 25, 2000, and Oct. 23, 2000.

Stevens was working at the detention center at the time as a juvenile detention officer and was charged with sexual assault, since he had a supervisory role over the woman, who was 21 years old at the time.

She was being held at the center on a prior juvenile offense.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. DeAmicis of the Middlesex County Office of Adult Corrections and Youth Services at 732-297-3636, or Investigator Duca of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3600.

As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Stevens are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

—Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office


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