GUILTY PLEA Oct 30, 2007 - Thomas 'Truck' Harris, 52, admitted that he molested a young boy in 1991 when he was the boy's baseball coach. He pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated criminal sexual contact, a third-degree crime, involving a 13-year-old boy. He will be sentenced Nov 16.
JURY VERDICT: On June 13, an Atlantic County jury found Harris guilty of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal sexual contact in connection with the abuse of another victim. Harris befriended the 12-year-old victim and his family through their church affiliation. He was sentenced to 18 years for those charges.
Harris was found to be a repetitive and compulsive offender by evaluators at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center at Avenel, which treats sex offenders.Superior Court Judge Michael A. Donio called Harris a "manipulative, cunning, deceptive con-man extraordinaire who is a classic child predator."
Assistant Prosecutor Marian Ragusa said Monday that Interpol, the international policing organization based in Belgium, is also investigating Harris in connection with child abuse cases in the Phillippines.
SENTENCED - Sentenced to 18 years in prison. No early release. He will serve 85% of his sentence. Source: New Jersey Superior Court Conviction Records found at the Daily Journal Link
