TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced that a Cumberland County man was sentenced to 55 years in state prison today for directing a woman to initiate sexual activities involving two children, a boy, age 13, and a girl, age 8, and send him photos. At his direction, the woman had sex with the boy while he listened, and, on another occasion, she had the girl perform oral sex on the boy, so she could send the defendant a cell phone photo of the act.

Gary T. Cramer, 30, of Bridgeton, N.J., was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Stephen M. Holden in Camden to 55 years in state prison, of which he must serve at least 38 years without possibility of parole under the No Early Release Act. Cramer was found guilty by a Camden County jury on June 2 of all counts against him, including two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree conspiracy, and 10 counts of endangering the welfare of a child (second-, third- and fourth-degree). The child endangerment counts included possession, distribution and manufacturing of child pornography related to the photos that the woman, Rachael Baker, 24, of Winslow Township, N.J., sent to him. The state sought an extended prison term for Cramer based on the egregious nature of his offenses.

Cramer and Baker were indicted in an investigation by the New Jersey State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice. Deputy Attorneys General Denise Grugan and Sarah Lichter tried the case and handled the sentencing for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau.

“Cramer was viciously calculating in the way that he manipulated Baker so that he could sexually exploit the two young victims,” said Acting Attorney General Hoffman. “We’ve ensured that this dangerous child predator will stay in prison for many years, where he won’t be able to harm other innocent children.”

“Child predators are increasingly using technology to pursue their deviant desires: from sharing child pornography online, to luring victims on social media, to a case like this, where Cramer remotely directed sexual assaults on children using his cell phone and conspired to produce child pornography,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Cramer was caught because we received a tip about his suspicious cell phone communications. We urge members of the public to alert us if they learn of computer or cell phone activity that may involve the sexual abuse of children.”

“It is our duty to protect those who cannot defend themselves,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “We will always work to expose the predators who commit these evil crimes against children and stop the creation and spread of these vile images.”

Acting Attorney General Hoffman and Director Honig noted that the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has a confidential tip line 888-648-6007 for people to report suspected improper contact by persons communicating with children via the Internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children.

Cramer met Baker online and started a sexual relationship with her. In order to manipulate her, he falsely told her that he was her boyfriend and loved her. The state presented testimony and evidence at trial that, between August 2010 and January 2011, Cramer – who had two prior child pornography convictions – used Baker to gain access to the boy and girl for sexual purposes. On one occasion, Cramer spoke with Baker and the boy by phone, urging them to engage in sexual intercourse, which they did, while Cramer listened and masturbated. Cramer pressured Baker to take sexual photos of the girl, and have the girl and the boy engage in a sexual act, so she could photograph it for him. At his instigation, Baker directed the girl to perform oral sex on the boy, and she took a cell phone photo of the act that she sent to Cramer’s phone.  Baker also sent other pornographic photos she took of the girl to Cramer. Cramer asked Baker to let him engage in sexual conduct with the girl, but Baker refused.  Baker pleaded guilty in 2012 to two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and other charges. She was sentenced on Feb. 28, 2014 to 10 years in prison, including 8 ½ years of parole ineligibility.

The investigation by the New Jersey State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice also led to charges against a second woman connected to Cramer, Stephanie Bennett, 28, of Woodbine, who was indicted separately on June 27, 2011. The investigation revealed that Bennett made a cell phone video of herself performing oral sex on an infant boy. She pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree charge of child abuse and neglect and was sentenced on Dec. 6, 2013 to time served. She served roughly two years in jail prior to sentencing.

Cramer also had a sexual relationship with Bennett, and the two communicated via text message about her sexual conduct involving the infant. The investigation began when police received information about those communications. State Police detectives initially arrested Baker on Jan. 23, 2011, and they arrested Cramer and Bennett on Feb. 16, 2011.

Deputy Attorney General Kenneth Sharpe, Deputy Chief of the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau, was assigned to the investigation. He indicted the case, took the pleas from Baker and Bennett, and assisted Deputy Attorneys General Grugan and Lichter at the trial of Cramer.

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