Bogota sex offender pleads guilty, but more charges await
By Mary K. Miraglia
HACKENSACK, N.J. (Feb. 6, 2017) — A convicted sex offender from Bogota pleaded guilty Monday morning to violations of Megan’s law reporting requirements, but still must answer to indictments charging him with sexual assaults of as many as five children aged 3 – 9 years old.
William Kooney, 43, agreed to a plea deal where he will serve three years flat, or about 15 months with parole, for failing to notify police of a new work address and 3rd degree violating community supervision. Due to a prior conviction for child endangerment, Kooney must report his home address and work address to law enforcement, without exception.
According to defense attorney NIKOLE A. PEZZULLO of Freehold, Kooney recently started a new job and in his excitement, forgot he needed to report.
During today’s hearing before JUDGE CHRISTOPHER KAZLAU, Kooney, a software engineer who told the judge he has a master’s degree, admitted that between Aug. 26, 2015 and Jan. 13, 2016 while living at 212 Central Ave. in Bogota, he failed to report his new employment address to law enforcement and that again this past weekend, he violated terms of community supervision for life.
Kazlau accepted Kooney’s guilty plea and set sentencing for April 28 to allow time for the defendant to appear in court on other indictments April 3. He must still resolve the charges from last weekend, but Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor NICOLE EISZNER said she is willing to make them part of Monday’s agreement if Kooney admits guilt for that offense before sentencing. Kooney has outstanding charges for sexually abusing the five different children over a period of 2-½ years, videotaping some of the assaults. His bail was revoked as a result of the Megan’s Law violations so he remains in the Bergen County Jail.
As a result of this plea, according to Kazlau, Kooney will be subject to parole supervision for life. He is facing indictment on the other charges of child endangerment filed in October, 2016 and sex assault filed in March, 2015. He has a prior record for sex assaults in Passaic County from June, 2004 and June, 2007. He pleaded guilty in both those cases.
