The victim, 14, claimed she was sleeping on a friend's couch when she was assaulted in 2014.
WOODBURY -- A Mantua Township man was found guilty Wednesday of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.
A jury convicted Jose I. Gonzalez-Heredia, 48, of sexual assault, criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child following a three-day trial and a day of deliberations.
The victim testified that the defendant improperly touched her while she was visiting a teenage friend who was living in the defendant's home in May 2014.
She described waking up on a sofa to find Gonzalez-Heredia kneeling in front of her her. After she demanded that he stop, he went upstairs and then left for work, the victim testified.
Gonzalez-Heredia testified that he touched the victim, according to the prosecutor's office, but denied additional details of the victim's account. He claimed that he stopped and was upset by what he had done.
He also claimed the victims as awake during the incident and was using her cellphone at the time.
Gonzalez-Heredia's bail was increased from $20,000 to $125,000 following the verdict and he was ordered to surrender his Mexican passport. Before sentencing, he will be evaluated at the state's Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center, a facility for sex offenders in Avenel.
As for his potential sentence, he faces 5 to 10 years for sexual assault, 3 to 5 years for endangering and up to 18 months for the sexual contact charge, officials said.
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.