Child Sex Abuse Plea Deal Struck by Baseball Academy Owner

The owner of Parsippany's now-closed Ablaze Baseball has pled guilty to having a sexual affair with a 14-year-old girl, according to an NJ.com report.

Robert J. Gervasi Jr., a 48-year-old Bloomfield resident and former Union County teacher, entered his plea Tuesday before a Superior Court judge in Elizabeth. According to Union County Prosecutor Theodore Romankow, Gervasi faces two counts each of second-degree sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor.

In exchange for the guilty plea, Union County Assistant Prosecutor David Hummel agreed to ask for Gervasi to be sentenced to seven years in prison. Judge John Triarsi is scheduled to hand down the sentence March 22.

The prosecutor said the plea deal also includes a recommendation that the man will have to have lifelong parole supervision, will be subject to Megan's Law and will be barred from public employment.

Gervasi was arrested in Union Township in August 2012 while attempting to meet with a 14-year-old girl, Romankow said. He is reported to have started a sexual relationship wth her earlier that summer.

Initially he was charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, one count of second-degree luring, one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, one count of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

Authorities said the affair took place in parks in Union Township, at Gervasi's baseball academy in Parsippany and at a condominium in Hoboken.