North Jersey Man Guilty Of Sexual Assault At Barnegat Scout Camp

TOMS RIVER, NJ - An Ocean County jury has convicted a former Hillsborough man of the second-degree sexual assault of a 15-year-old in 2003, both at the Citta Boy Scout camp in Barnegat and at the man's home, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Alan D. Harbatuk, 71, was taken to the Ocean County Jail right after the June 20 verdict pending his sentencing, which will be scheduled once he is evaluated at Avenel, spokesman Al Della Fave said.

Harbatuk faces 5 to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison, along with Megan’s Law required registration and parole supervision for life.

Harbatuk was arrested on October 23, 2014 by the Somerset County Prosecutors Office. The charges stem from Hillsborough Township as well as Barnegat Township.

The case was subsequently transferred to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office to be prosecuted together with co-defendant Raymond Waters. Waters was charged with aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault on the same victim, while Waters was a teacher at Toms River North High School. Waters’ trial will be held at a future date.

The case was tried by Senior Assistant Prosecutor Kristin L. Pressman before Ocean County Superior Court Judge Therese A. Cunningham.

The case was investigated by Sgt. Jason Steele of the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, Somerset County Prosecutors Office Detective Justin Berger, Hillsborough Police Department Detective Robert Meszaros,and Detective Thomas Grosse and retired Detective Alex Scherer of the Toms River Police Department.

Photo: Courtesy of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office