NJ Man Guilty Of Kidnapping Ex-Lover 4 Days After Prison Release

Hoboken NJ

04 March, 2022

1:26 PM

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HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — A Hudson County man has been convicted by a jury of kidnapping, strangulation, and aggravated assault after he attacked an ex-lover in 2019 — four days after he was released from prison on a charge related to the same victim, prosecutors said. The Office of the Essex County Prosecutor said Friday that James Pilotti, 43, of Union City, had repeatedly assaulted a Roseland man with whom he had had a prior sexual relationship. Pilotti had just gotten out of jail four days earlier after serving a sentence for having broken into the same man's home in 2018. Following a trial before Superior Court Judge Harold Fullilove Jr., the jury convicted Pilotti of kidnapping, aggravated assault, three counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, three counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and aggravated assault by strangulation on a domestic violence victim. The jury remained deadlocked on the charge of attempted murder. Prosecutors said that from the night of Aug. 15, 2019, into the next morning, Pilotti bound the victim with cords and duct tape and beat him, sometimes using a lamp and a brick, until he passed out. "The torture and beating continued for approximately six hours until Pilotti forced the victim to take sleeping pills with alcohol," prosecutors said in a release Friday. "The victim was ultimately able to break free and flee to the home of a nearby neighbor." Pilotti was still on probation for the burglary at the victim's home at the time he committed the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for April 27. Pilotti faces a life sentence in New Jersey State Prison. "We are pleased the jury returned a just verdict in this case. Hopefully, the resolution of this case will provide the victim with a sense of safety and justice," said Assistant Prosecutor Renee Shafran. Get FREE breaking news alerts in your New Jersey town, or a daily 6 a.m. newsletter with local news. Sign up with your zip code here and you'll get an email asking for your preferences. Get a free 6 a.m. newsletter with news in your NJ town: https://patch.com/subscribe