NJ man, 86, who sexually abused girl gets probation, no jail time

An elderly New Jersey man who admitted to sexually abusing a girl for more than a decade won’t serve any prison time after striking a plea deal with prosecutors, authorities said Wednesday.

Hal Sitt, 86, who copped to third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, was instead sentenced to five years of probation and mandated to register as a sex offender under parole supervision for the rest of his life, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Monmouth County Superior Judge Jill O’Malley also ordered the child molester to pay more than $134,000 in restitution to the victim during the sentencing in late July.

Sitt, who was arrested in April 2021, touched the girl inappropriately and forced her to touch him at various times between 1997 and 2008, acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey said.

The abuse occurred at locations including Sitt’s home in Deal and a park in Ocean Township.

The plea agreement that kept Sitt out of prison was only reached after discussions with his victim, Linskey said.

“We hope that the resolution of this case sends a clear message to perpetrators and victims alike: it doesn’t matter how long ago the abuse occurred, or what age the defendant is now – such monstrous crimes demand a reckoning,” Linskey said in a statement.

The prosecutor said she hoped the sentencing offered a “some small measure of solace” to the victim, who was under 18 at the time of the abuse.

Attempts to reach Sitt on Wednesday were unsuccessful. A message left with his attorney was not immediately returned.

Sitt, who is retired, initially came into contact with the victim via his personal life, a Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson told The Post.

Prosecutors routinely consult with victims prior to any plea deal agreement being finalized, the spokesperson said.