FREEHOLD – A probation officer used his position to force sexual favors from a woman that he was supervising, police said.
Henry C. Cirignano, 48, Wall, pled guilty on Feb. 24, admitting that in his role as a Monmouth County probation officer he intimidated and sexually assaulted a woman he supervised on probation.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni reported that Cirignano, who worked for 18 years in the New Jersey State Probation in the Vicinage of Monmouth, pled guilty to three counts of second-degree Sexual Assault by Coercion and one count of second-degree Official Misconduct before Ocean County Presiding Criminal Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels in Toms River.
He was arrested in February 2019 and charged with the sexual assault of a 23-year-old woman he supervised on probation. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office conducted an investigation that revealed that between August 2016 through January 2019, Cirignano engaged in sexual activity with the female probationer while she was under his supervision.
Further investigation led to additional charges being filed including charges of Official Misconduct, after it was determined that he misused his official position to conceal his illicit activities over that same period of time.
During the course of the investigation evidence was collected that revealed Cirignano had threatened to create false probation violations resulting in incarceration unless the victim provided sexual favors to him. His sexual assaults upon the victim were frequent and repetitive.
Cirignano also repeatedly lied to the Drug Court judge presiding over his victim’s case providing false excuses for the victim’s failure to appear in court. Under the plea agreement, the State has agreed to recommend a sentence of eight years in New Jersey state prison with six years and a 9-month period of parole ineligibility.
This is subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. The plea will also subject Cirignano to Parole Supervision for Life and require him to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law.
In pleading guilty to Official Misconduct, Cirignano faces a mandatory sentence of at least five years but no more than 10 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole, a lifetime ban on public employment in the State of New Jersey, and forfeiture of his benefits. He will be sentenced on April 17, in Ocean County Superior Court.
Gramiccioni said, “these were heinous acts perpetrated by Mr. Cirignano. The defendant used his position of authority to intimidate his victim into providing sexual favors, believing he was entitled to dangle a jail cell over her head to get what he wanted.”
Cirignano has been held in custody at the Ocean County Correctional Institution since his arrest on February 4, 2019.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Thomas Fichter and Kristen Anastos. Cirignano is represented by Ocean Township attorney Mitchell Ansell.
Under the leadership of Gramiccioni, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, instituted a Corruption Tip Line, designed to solicit the public’s help in targeting corruption, fraud and misconduct occurring in local governmental agencies.
Citizens may report concerns via the following: Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Corruption Tip Line – 855-7-UNJUST (855 786-5878); or e-mail at: corruption@mcponj.org write “Corruption/Misconduct Tip” in the subject line.
