Two Plainfield men sentenced to prison for assaulting mentally disabled woman

Two Plainfield men were sentenced to a combined 38 years in a New Jersey state prison for sexually assaulting a severely mentally disabled woman in 2011 and then leaving her outside in a snowstorm, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Monday.

In a press release Monday, the acting prosecutor said 35-year-old Edward Woodson was sentenced to 20 years in state prison Friday and 35-year-old Marcal Campbell was sentenced to 18 years by State Superior Court Judge Stuart Peim.

"Under the provisions of New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, both defendants will be required to serve a minimum of 85 percent of their sentences before becoming eligible for parole, and each also must register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and undergo parole supervision for life," Park said in the release.

Following a five-week trial in Union County, the two men were convicted of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and first-degree aggravated sexual assault of a mentally disabled victim following an incident that took place in February. In addition, the prosecutor said Woodson was convicted of first-degree kidnapping.

According to authorities, on Jan. 31, "Woodson lured the victim from her home under the pretense of participating in Bible study and with the promise of returning her home safe."

Union County Assistant Prosecutors Jessica Kahn and Estrella Lopez, who prosecuted the case said instead of bringing the woman home, Woodson took her back to his own residence "where he and Campbell took turns sexually assaulting her in the basement over the span of more than an hour."

The following morning, Woodson and Campbell forced the woman to leave the house "with no cell phone, money, or any means to get home."

The victim was discovered hours later at which point she was given medical attention and explained the incident to police.

"A joint investigation involving the Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit and the Plainfield Police Division resulted in Woodson and Campbell being identified as suspects, and they were both arrested in February 2011," The UCPO press release states.

Toniann Antonelli is the digital managing editor at NJ 101.5. Reach her at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.