A former deacon at Burlington Seventh-day Adventist Church in New Jersey was sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing a girl.
Shawn R. Tracey, 45, was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child under 13. According to prosecutors, Tracey sexually assaulted the victim over a period of more than two years at multiple locations in Burlington County.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.
In June 2025, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office announced charges against Tracey after authorities were notified of the sexual abuse.
Tracey was initially charged with 10 counts of aggravated sexual assault, 13 counts of debauching the morals of a child, two counts of sexual assault and one count of showing obscene material to a minor.
However, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Tracey pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault in exchange for a 25-year prison sentence.
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Tracey will also be required to register as a sex offender in New Jersey and will be subject to parole supervision for life if he is released from prison.
