Michael Calderon was convicted of sexually assaulting the girl over a roughly six-year period, starting when she was five years old
Michael Calderon NEWARK -- A 62-year-old Newark man was sentenced on Tuesday to 180 years in state prison for sexually assaulting a girl over a roughly six-year period, starting when she was five years old.
Michael Calderon received the sentence after having been convicted by a jury on April 16 of a 44-count indictment, including charges of aggravated sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child and production of child pornography.
In handing down the 180-year prison term, Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin ordered Calderon to serve eight 20-year consecutive sentences and two 10-year consecutive sentences, because the case involved multiple incidents of abuse over an extended period of time.
"To run defendant's sentences concurrently would make him indistinguishable from an offender who assaulted his victim only once or only over a short span of time, such as a weekend," Ravin said during the hearing.
"Given all the circumstances of these offenses, it does not seem to this court that any tribunal would find that the sentence this court is going to impose shocks the judicial conscience," Ravin added.
Calderon must serve 119 years before becoming eligible for parole, and he will receive credit for about four years of time served.
Calderon's attorney, Laura Bilotta, declined to comment after Tuesday's hearing.
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In an interview, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Kathleen Lyons-Boswick, who tried the case, pointed to the bravery of the victim, now 15 years old, who testified during the trial.
"This victim was incredibly brave," Lyons-Boswick said. "It was a horrific course of events that went on for years.
"She is attempting with help to move on with her life," she added. "She's building her life back, step by step."
Calderon, who was the boyfriend of the child's caregiver, sexually assaulted the girl from when she was five years old in kindergarten and until she was 11 years old, prosecutors said. Calderon also videotaped himself sexually assaulting the girl, prosecutors said.
Calderon began sexually assaulting her while he lived in a Newark residence with the caregiver, the girl and her two younger brothers, according to Lyons-Boswick. The abuse continued after Calderon broke up with the caregiver and moved to a nearby apartment, where the caregiver sent the girl to spend weekends, Lyons-Boswick said.
The caregiver was the paternal grandmother of the girl's brothers, Lyons-Boswick said. The boys and the girl have the same mother, but different fathers, she said. State authorities had removed the three children from their mother's care and sent them to live with the caregiver, Lyons-Boswick said.
After the girl was ultimately sent to live with her father, she reported the abuse to him and he contacted the authorities, Lyons-Boswick said.
In regard to the 180-year prison sentence, Lyons-Boswick added, "I felt like justice was done here."
Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
