Prison Guard Indicted for Sex Crimes, AG Says

A state prison guard was indicted Tuesday on charges that he impersonated a police officer and sexually assaulted four women, including three prostitutes he allegedly coerced into having sex with him for free and, in one case, at a discount at multiple locations, including hotels in Maple Shade and Westampton, according to authorities.

Juan R. Stevens, 50, is charged with 25 counts in the grand jury indictment, according to a release from the state Attorney General’s Office. Among the charges are sexual assault, theft by extortion, impersonating a law enforcement officer, criminal coercion and official misconduct.

Authorities allege Stevens identified himself as a law enforcement officer—displaying a badge and wearing handcuffs on the back of his pants on multiple occasions—and coerced the prostitutes, who he had contacted to meet him at hotels throughout Burlington County, into having sex with him. In one instance, authorities said Stevens told one of the women he was conducting a prostitution sting and uttered the command “stand down” into a cell phone, which appeared to have a walkie-talkie feature. Fearing she was going to be arrested, the woman had sex with Stevens, who left without paying, according to authorities.

A fourth woman, who was not a prostitute, was allegedly approached by Stevens outside a Mansfield hotel. He was wearing a blue uniform and told her he was a police officer who was sent to talk to her about prostitution and drug activity at the motel. Authorities said Stevens asked if he could enter her room, where he displayed a police-type badge, ordered her to take her clothes off and sexually assaulted her. He allegedly threw $15 at her and left.

Authorities used DNA taken following Stevens’ arrest for the alleged assaults on the prostitutes to link him to the Mansfield assault. It marked the first time the state filed charges as a result of a DNA hit against a suspect whose DNA was taken under a new state law, signed by Governor Christie in 2011, requiring DNA samples of anyone arrested for violent crimes.

After his initial arrest on March 21, Stevens was suspended without pay from his job at the New Jersey Department of Corrections’ Central Reception and Assignment Facility in Trenton.

“It is abhorrent that a state correction officer would corruptly use his badge to sexually assault women in the manner alleged in this indictment,” said Acting Attorney General John Hoffman. “His alleged conduct is a complete betrayal of the trust placed in him as a public servant.”

Hoffman and Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice urged any other potential victims to contact the Division of Criminal Justice at its confidential toll-free tipline 1-866-TIPS-4CJ.

The investigation was conducted by the New Jersey State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice, with assistance from the Department of Corrections, Mansfield Police Department and Westampton Police Department.