Brick Man Who Sexually Assaulted Woman Then Abandoned Her At Hotel Sentenced

MAYS LANDING, NJ — A Brick Township man has been sentenced to four years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman he met through Facebook dating and abandoning her more than an hour from her home, authorities said.

Gary M. Kearns, 56, must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before he is eligible for parole. The sentence also is subject to the No Early Release Act, and Kearns will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan's Law, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.

Kearns, who was using a fake name, met and courted the woman through Facebook dating, authorities said.

In August 2021, he picked up the woman and drove her to Atlantic City under the pretense of going on a date, authorities said. Instead he sexually assaulted her in an Atlantic City hotel and left her there, an hour from her home, authorities said.

Kearns pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault on Aug. 26, authorities said.