Sexual assault, endangering welfare of a minor
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – A former Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguard has been indicted on sexual crime charges, including endangering the welfare of a child.
Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland announced the Grand Jury indictment of Jonathan C. Howell, a 41-year-old resident of Marmora and former member of the Ocean City Beach Patrol.
According to Sutherland, in April 2021, the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office was notified of a social media post that made numerous allegations against the Ocean City Beach Patrol. Since that time, the Prosecutor’s Office said it has conducted “a thorough investigation into these allegations.”
On June 2, 2022, Howell was charged by members of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and official misconduct charges after a search warrant was executed at his residence.
On Jan. 24, Howell was indicted by a Cape May County Grand Jury on the following charges: – One count of aggravated sexual assault, a crime of the 1st degree;
– One count of sexual assault, a crime of the 2nd degree;
– One count of official misconduct, a crime of the 2nd degree;
– Two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a crimes of the 3rd degree.
A person convicted of a first-degree crime is subject to a term of imprisonment of 10 to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison. A person convicted of a second-degree crime is subject to a term of imprisonment of 5 to 10 years and third degree crimes are subject to 3 to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison.
Sutherland stated this is an ongoing investigation and urges anyone who may have additional information relating to this investigation to contact the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at (609) 465-1135, or anonymously through the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Anonymous TIP System by visiting cmcpo.tips or the information can also be reported to the Cape May County Sheriff’s Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net and click on anonymous tip, or through the Cape May County Crime Stoppers, 609-889-3597.
The office notes that charges are accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless he is proven guilty.
