07/13/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Tara Monks // Tara Monks
Hampton, NJ – A Bloomsbury man who volunteered at a special-needs facility was charged with criminal sexual contact of a female patient on July 10, 2010, as reported by the Asbury Park Press.
James Ballentine was arrested Saturday on charges of aggravated criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of an incompetent person, according to Prosecutor Dermot O’Grady of the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office.
The 67-year-old man reportedly inappropriately touched a mentally disabled adult female. He was charged with the crime after receiving reports from employees of the ARC of Hunterdon in Hampton.
After employees reported the crime, a joint investigation was performed by the HCPO Special Victims Unit and New Jersey State Police at the Perryville Barracks.
Staff members of the ARC of Hunterdon community center reportedly became suspicious of Ballentine’s activities and the amount of time he spent with a specific mentally-disabled woman in a wheelchair, according to authorities. Detectives determined that Ballentine touched the victim, who due to her condition, was unable to communicate.
Ballentine is a retired bus driver for the Huntersdon County LINK transportation service, which was often used by seniors and the disabled.
Ballentine’s bail was set at $25,000 with a 10 percent option. A no contact order was placed against him as well.
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