Man Sentenced In Years-Long Sex Assaults Of 2 Girls In Eatontown

EATONTOWN, NJ — A former Eatontown man has been sentenced to 48 years in state prison for committing a string of sexual assaults and related crimes against two young girls over the course of multiple years, starting a little more than a decade ago, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Monday.

Gerell F. Schmitt, 36, was arrested in October 2020 and stood trial earlier this year with both victims testifying.

A Monmouth County jury convicted Schmitt on charges of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree attempted aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault and second and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, the prosecutor's office said.

The investigation into Schmitt’s activities was initiated by Detective Christopher Casson of the Eatontown Police Department in September 2020, when a relative of the two victims first reported the abuse to authorities.

Both victims were under the age of 13 at the time the crimes were committed against them, officials said.

The investigation ultimately determined that Schmitt committed the crimes at several locations across Monmouth County, including his own residence in Eatontown.

Schmitt must serve a minimum of 85 percent of his sentence before the possibility of parole, in accordance with New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, said Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Jill G. O’Malley.

“There are no greater responsibilities we have as an Office than aggressively investigating and prosecuting the despicable actions of individuals who prey upon our vulnerable citizens, purely for their own selfish gratification,” Prosecutor Santiago said. “The outcome of this case is emblematic of that notion.”