Gloucester County Jury Convicts National Park Man of Sexually Assaulting Four Year Old

Today, the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s office announced in a media statement that a Gloucester County jury convicted Eric Windhurst, 50, of National Park, of sexually assaulting a four-year-old boy who was living with his aunt in the defendant’s home in 2011.

Windhurst was found guilty of second-degree sexual assault and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He faces up to 10 years in N.J. state prison on the second-degree charge and up to five years for the third-degree offense.

Superior Court Judge Robert P. Becker revoked Windhurst’s bail and ordered him jailed pending sentencing, which was deferred until an evaluation is conducted at the state Diagnostic and Treatment center, a facility for sex offenders in Avenel, N.J.

If Windhurst is found to be a “repetitive and compulsive” offender, he may serve his term of incarceration at the Avenel center and undergo treatment.

The jury heard testimony from the boy, who is now 11, along with his aunt and the detective who investigated the allegations.

Windhurst, a printing company employee, who had a prior sex offense conviction when he lived in Rhode Island is a Megan’s Law registrant. He did not testify.

However, the jury saw a video recording of his interview with investigators with the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office. He denied any contact with the boy.

The boy testified Windhurst told him he had a surprise for him, then pulled down his pants and touched his “private” while the two were alone in Windhurst’s home.

In a summation, Dianna Reed-Rolando, Trial Chief for the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, told the jury that, contrary to defense arguments that the boy’s testimony was unreliable and other possible witnesses were not interviewed, the boy had no reason to lie when he disclosed to his aunt what happened and when he testified in court.

The boy blamed himself for Windhurst’s actions, saying in an interview with investigators: “I can’t believe I was dumb enough to fall for that trick,” Reed- Rolando said.