Calif. Man Pleads Guilty to Criminal Sexual Contact of a Child

A California man pled guilty on Tuesday to criminal sexual contact on a 9-year old girl in Princeton Township, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.

John Monaghan, 51, of San Francisco, Calif. pled guilty before Mercer County Superior Court Judge Mark Fleming.

Monaghan originally faced charges of aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child stemming from an incident while he was visiting the victim’s family in Princeton on Aug. 13, said Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Spokeswoman Casey DeBlasio.

In exchange for Monaghan’s guilty plea, the other  charges against him were dismissed.

The guilty plea also means the victim will be spared a trial, DeBlasio said.

According to a report in NJ.com, Monaghan was sentenced to three years probation and will undergo sexual offender evaluation and treatment. He must also register as a sex offender in New Jersey and California.

Monaghan is also prohibited from having contact with the victim and his probation will be transferred to California upon his return this week, NJ.com reported.