Man sentenced to 23 years in state prison for aggravated sexual assault, burglary in Morris County
MORRISTOWN, NJ (Morris County) – A former Jersey City man was sentenced to 23 years in state prison for aggravated sexual assault and burglary that occurred in Morristown in 2017 and 2018, according to Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll.
The Honorable Judge Ralph E. Amirata, J.S.C., sentenced Brian K. Session, 53, on July 6 to an aggregate sentence of 23 years incarceration in New Jersey State Prison, Carroll said.
Session was ordered to serve 18 years New Jersey State Prison on a first-degree aggravated sexual assault, subject to the No Early Release Act, Parole Supervision for Life and Megan’s Law, with a consecutive sentence of 5 years New Jersey State Prison with two and half years of parole ineligibility for five counts of burglary, Carroll said.
After a number of delays caused by Session’s requests for adjournments and the COVID-19 trial shutdown, the case was scheduled for trial in September 2022. Facing a 30-count indictment alleging acts including burglary, theft, kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault, Session pled guilty on September 29, 2022, one day before opening statements were set to begin, Carroll said.
At that time, Session admitted to breaking into five separate apartments with the intent to commit theft in Morristown in November and December of 2017, Carroll said.
Session also admitted to entering into an apartment in Morristown without the victim’s permission on January 18, 2018, with the intent to steal items from within the apartment. While Session was burglarizing the apartment, the victim returned home, Carroll said.
The victim reported that she was physically attacked, bound, and sexually assaulted against her will. At the time of his plea, Session admitted to sexually assaulting the victim during the course of the burglary, Carroll said.
Prior to sentencing, Session filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea on March 9, 2023, claiming ineffective assistance of counsel and that he did not have time to review evidence in the case. The State opposed the motion, Carroll said.
Judge Amirata denied Session’s request on July 6, finding that defendant’s arguments “defied credibility” based upon the evidence in the record, and that the interests of justice would not be served by granting his motion, Carroll said.
