Ex-Ridgewood Camp Counselor Pleads Guilty To Sex Assaults: Prosecutor

RIDGEWOOD, NJ —A Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty this week to sex assault from August while he served as a counselor at a Ridgewood camp, authorities said.

Joshua F. Daranijo, 24, of Levittown, pleaded guilty Wednesday to the crime, Hunterdon County First Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Paravecchia said.

Authorities said Daranijo openly admitted in court to sexual contact with children under the age of 13, and to possessing child sexual abuse material while a camp counselor at YMCA Camp Bernie. He was charged in August with three counts of second-degree sexual assault by contact and three counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, Patch previously reported.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5, 2023.

Daranijo pleaded guilty Wednesday before Hunterdon County Superior Court Judge Angela F. Borkowski to three counts of second-degree sexual assault by contact and one count of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child for knowingly possessing items depicting the sexual exploitation of a child.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Daranijo be sentenced to concurrent seven-year terms in New Jersey State Prison which, under the No Early Release Act, will require him to serve 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

Upon his release, Daranijo will be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to parole supervision for life.

Daranijo, while employed at Camp Bernie facilities in Hunterdon County, was first accused of "acting inappropriately" with children at the camp. He was then put on leave pending an investigation into the allegations, Ridgewood YMCA President and CEO Ernest Lamour said.