2004 Media Releases:

CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
VINCENT P. SARUBBI, CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR
MEDIA   INFORMATION

February 27, 2004

Camden County Prosecutor Vincent P. Sarubbi, Audubon Police Chief Thomas Tassi and Barrington Police Chief George Preen reported today that a 45-year-old Georgia resident is being held in the Hall County (Ga.) Detention Center, charged with 12 counts, including Aggravated Sexual Assault and related offenses, for alleged assaults in Georgia and Camden County against a male child while the boy was between 10 and 12 years old.

Edward Harold Turner, of the 7000 block of Saratoga Drive in Flowery Branch, Ga., is charged in New Jersey with two counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault, a first-degree crime carrying a maximum 20-year prison term upon conviction. He also faces five counts of Sexual Assault and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, second-degree offenses carrying a maximum 10-year term each. The assaults allegedly took place in Barrington between May 2002 and January 2003 and in Audubon between January 2003 and December 2003.

In Georgia, Turner is charged with three additional counts alleging sexual assaults against the same victim in Flowery Branch between January 2001 and July 2003.

Charges in both states allege acts of penetration and molestation.

Turner was arrested in Georgia on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004. Investigators from the Camden County Prosecutor's Office Child Abuse Unit, Audubon Police and Barrington Police worked with the Hall County District Attorney's Office and Sheriff's Office on the investigation and arrest.

"This is an outstanding example of law enforcement agencies from a number of jurisdictions working together to make an arrest in a very important investigation," Barrington Police Chief Preen said. "We could not have asked for better cooperation from our counterparts in Georgia."

Turner is being held without bail in Hall County pending an initial court appearance. It has yet to be determined whether he will face the Georgia or New Jersey charges first.

All persons charged with criminal offenses are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.