North Brunswick Man Convicted Of New Brunswick Kidnapping, Attempted Sex Assault

A North Brunswick man may be sentenced to serve approximately 40 years in a state prison for abducting a 20-year-old woman at gunpoint and attempting to commit an aggravated sexual assault upon her, Middlesex County Acting Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced Wednesday.

Porfirio Nunez-Mosquea, 27, is scheduled to be sentenced at the Middlesex County Courthouse in New Brunswick on September 8, 2014, following his conviction on charges of kidnapping, attempted aggravated sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and terroristic threats. 

He was convicted on May 22, 2014 following a trial in New Brunswick before Superior Court Judge Diane Pincus.

During the trial that began on April 28, 2014, Middlesex County Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor Christie L. Bevacqua presented evidence and testimony showing Nunez-Mosquea grabbed the woman, who was walking on Rutgers Street, near Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, forced her into a van at gunpoint, and fled.

Bevacqua contended the defendant took the victim to his basement apartment on Jersey Avenue in North Brunswick, attempted the aggravated sexual assault, smothered her when she resisted and molested her before allowing her to leave.

Investigator Tracy Lackey of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and Detective Thierry Lemmerling of the New Brunswick Police Department conducted an investigation which led to the arrest of Nunez-Mosquea, who was apprehended at his residence later in the day.

The jury deliberated for four days before finding the defendant guilty of the six counts. The panel acquitted him of attempted murder for smothering the victim and found him not guilty of receiving stolen property identified as the gun used to abduct her. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a count of aggravated assault for smothering the woman.

Following the jury decision, Nunez-Mosquea pleaded guilty to a charge of being a certain person prohibited from possession of a firearm. He was prohibited due to a prior conviction in an unrelated case.

He is facing about 40 years in prison when he is sentenced in September.

-30-

Note to editors: Questions may be directed to Jim O'Neill, public information officer, at (732) 745-3300.