Corrections Officers Sexually Assaulted Teen In Burlington Co.: AG

BORDENTOWN, NJ — Two corrections officers repeatedly sexually assaulted a teen at the juvenile-justice facility where they worked, authorities said Tuesday.

Gary Nieves and William Young have been charged with sexual assault and various offenses against an 18-year-old inmate at the Female Secure Care and Intake Facility in Bordentown. The two senior corrections officers have been suspended without pay.

The Juvenile Justice Commission were alerted Aug. 14 that two corrections officers repeatedly had illegal sexual contact with a resident in the Bordentown facility. The victim confirmed the allegations against Nieves and Young, according to the NJ Office of the Attorney General (OAG).

The men engaged in various forms of sexual misconduct and assault, including penetration, against the victim on several occasions, the OAG said. They did so in various parts of the facility, including shared spaces ad the victim's living quarters, according to investigators.

Nieves and Young were both acting in their official capacities as senior officers, said state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.

"We will not tolerate people in positions of power using their authority to abuse those in their care," Platkin said. "The allegations facing these officers, that they preyed on a young person who was in their custody, warrant serious consequences."

Nieves, 53, of Burlington City, was charged with second-degree sexual assault (four counts), second-degree official misconduct, third-degree witness tampering and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

Young, 35, of Marlton, was charged with second-degree sexual assault, second-degree official misconduct and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

The facility, also known as the Hayes Building, is designed for juvenile females sentenced to incarceration in New Jersey.

Nieves's public employment goes back to at least 2005, while Young's goes back to 2020, according to state records.