Superior Court Judge Rules Little Egg Man Will Stay In Jail On Child Sex Charges

Ocean County Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels has ordered a Little Egg Harbor man facing multiple charges of the aggravated sexual assault of two children to remain in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Milton Cortina, 40, was ordered detained by Judge Wendel E. Daniels under the new bail reform program on Feb. 13. Cortina was arrested on Jan. 30, and charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child, production of child pornography, possession of child pornography and invasion of privacy, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

On Feb. 3, the Prosecutor's Office and the Little Egg Harbor Police Department levied additional charges of second-degree child pornography and third-degree invasion of privacy, Della Fave said.

The charges stem from an investigation which began in December 2016 by Ocean County Prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit Detective Stephanie Bayha, along with Little Egg Harbor Police Detectives Joel Mahr and Steven Martin.

The detectives initially arrested Cortina at his Little Egg Harbor residence on Jan. 30 and charged him with aggravated sexual assault and the earlier charges committed against a juvenile female victim. The Ocean County Prosecutor’s High Tech Crime Unit and Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI also assisted in the investigation.

But after additional forensic evidence was developed by the High Tech Crime Unit, it revealed there was a second juvenile female victim. Bayha and Mahr brought additional charges against Cortino of possession of child pornography and invasion of privacy.

The case is being prosecuted by OCPO Senior Assistant Prosecutor Christine Lento. Nicole's Law (no contact with victims) has been implemented. Cortina remains incarcerated in the Ocean County Jail.

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