Hackettstown Man Convicted of Sex Assault on Pre-Teen

A former Hackettstown resident has been convicted of aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, according to Warren County Prosecutor Thomas Ferguson.

Clinton Helmlinger, 29, was found guilty of the crimes, Ferguson said, which occurred between Jan. 1, 2001 and April 28, 2004.

Helmlinger engaged in sexual acts with the victim when the victim was less than 13 years old, Ferguson said. The assaults took place at a former residence of the defendant in Hackettstown, Ferguson said. The victim was also from Hackettstown, Ferguson said.

The conviction of aggravated sexual assault–a first-degree crime–carries a maximum term of imprisonment of up to 20 years in state prison, and a conviction of endangering the welfare of a child–a third-degree crime–carries a maximum term of imprisonment of up to five years in state prison, Ferguson said.

According to Ferguson, any sentence imposed for the aggravated sexual assault conviction is subject to the provisions of the No Early Release Act, which requires 85-percent of the sentence be served without eligibility of parole.

A sentence will be imposed by the presiding judge John F. Kingfield.

The investigation was conducted by Det. Hernani Goncalves of the Warren County Prosecutors Office with the assistance of Det. Aaron Perkins of the Hackettstown Police Department.

Helmlinger is currently lodged in the Warren County Correctional Center with no bail available pending his sentence, Ferguson said.