EXCLUSIVE: A former home health aide faces four years in prison after pleading guilty to child endangerment today for sexually touching his River Edge patient’s 15-year-old mentally disabled granddaughter and having her touch him.
Grady Brown of Paterson, who worked in the elderly man’s home for a year, told Superior Court Judge Edward A. Jerejian in Hackensack that he has a criminal sexual history dating back to when he was 13.
He said he also has a fiancée, a 10-month old daughter and a steady job.
“If you’re determined to be a repetitive and compulsive sex offender, you will have to agree to treatment,” the judge told him. “You have to register with law enforcement agencies, report your address annually, for life.”
Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Kristin DeMarco agreed to drop more serious sexual assault charges against Brown, and to recommend a sentence of four years in state prison (with parole supervision for life) in exchange for his guilty plea.
Jerejian scheduled sentencing for March 21, 2014.
Before then, Brown will be evaluated at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Avenel, the judge said, adding that he will be bound by both Megan’s Law and Nicole’s Law, which prohibits him from coming into contact in any way with the victim for life. He has remained free on $100,000 bail since March 5, after spending more than two months in the Bergen County Jail.
Brown said in court today that he was working for Loving Hands Home Health Care of Paramus, assigned to care for the grandfather, when he got to know the girl. One day, he said, he “touched her in the area of her vagina.” Brown said he also exposed himself to her and convinced the girl to touch him.
“And you knew the victim had a diminished capacity, and you understand it was against the law?” defense attorney K.K. Stewart asked him.
“Yes,” Brown answered.
He also said he understood that she “wasn’t old enough to consent.”
Brown said he also pursued and stalked the girl after the crimes, driving to her home and school, in an effort to try and contact her.
STORY: Mary K. Miraglia, CLIFFVIEW PILOT Courthouse Reporter