Man who admitted rape alters story at treatment center
Honduran immigrant tells evaluator victim in Morristown was prostitute
Thursday, August 16, 2007
BY MARGARET McHUGH
Star-Ledger Staff

In May, Joel Romero admitted kidnapping and raping a woman in Morristown two years ago.

But when it came time to discuss the incident with an evaluator at the state Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center for sex offenders in Woodbridge, Romero said the woman was a prostitute who took $200 from him. Romero also denied that he committed a crime when he was interviewed for his pre-sen tence report.

"I need to know what's the truth," said Superior Court Judge Joseph A. Falcone, who had Ro mero brought into court yesterday.

Through a Spanish-language interpreter, the 28-year-old illegal im migrant from Honduras confessed, "I lied to them. It wasn't a judge or anything."

But he swore that he had been truthful when he told Falcone in May that he was guilty.

"I did what I did. That's why I pled guilty," he said. He promised to cooperate when interviewed again by the evaluators.

And he offered several apologies, including: "From the bottom of my heart, I ask for forgiveness from everyone in this city."

Romero faces 20 years in state prison for his pleas to aggravated sexual assault and kidnapping for the July 10, 2005, attack on La fayette Avenue. The victim is a 22-year-old woman from England.

The first time he was in court to plea, Romero backed out of it. The deal nearly collapsed again in May, because Romero initially portrayed the victim as a prostitute who offered him sex for $200.

After Falcone reminded Ro mero he had sworn to be truthful, Romero dropped his head into his handcuffed hands and began sob bing. After a few minutes, he ad mitted he followed a pretty woman who had just left a bar and pulled her into the woods. Romero called to another Spanish-speaking man, whom he did not know, to help hold her down while he had sex with her.

Juan Amendano, 25, pleaded guilty in April to first-degree aggra vated sexual assault. Amendano, an illegal immigrant from Ecuador, admitted fondling her and holding her down. He faces a sentence of eight to 10 years in prison.

Falcone said the first report from the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center was "worthless" because Romero lied, so another one would have to be done. The evaluation determines whether a defendant is a compulsive and repetitive sex offender and could benefit from treatment.

Falcone is moving to the Passaic County Courthouse, but he said he would handle the sentencing of Romero and Amendano there.



Margaret McHugh may be reached at mmchugh@starled ger.com or (973) 539-7119.

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