85 Years in Prison for Atlantic County Man Convicted of Child Sex Assaults

An Absecon man convicted of 34 counts of sexual assault on five pre-teen and teenage boys will spend the next 85 years in state prison.

Saying he needed to be put in prison for a long time to protect the community, Judge Bernard E. DeLury Jr. sentenced Brian Killion, 41, to 85 years in state prison on Thursday morning.

Killion must serve 85 percent of the sentence, or 63 years 9 months, before becoming eligible for parole.

Many of the counts were merged for sentencing purposes, and he was given the minimum sentence in each instance, as even the mid-range sentence would result in an excessive and unnecessary sentence, DeLury said.

Killion was convicted in September on seven counts of aggravated sexual assault; 10 counts of sexual assault; 13 counts of endangering the welfare of a child; three counts of promoting obscene material for persons under 18; and one count of aggravated criminal sexual contact.

He was found to have 3,500 images depicting child pornography on his computer.

The court suggested Killion complete n evaluation required for sex offenders at the Avenel Adult Diagnostic & Treatment Center. Killion refused to participate in the evaluation, and maintained his innocence through Thursday’s sentencing, reiterating in court once again that he was “not guilty of all charges.”

Killion was arrested on July 14, 2010, following an investigation that alleged he assaulted boys on camping trips in Atlantic, Cape May and Burlington counties, while he watched them at his home in Absecon, at the homes of the victims, and other locations.

The victims ranged in age between 11 and 15 years old. He assaulted his oldest victim in his capacity as a scout master with the Boy Scouts.

Three families of the victims were in attendance for Thursday’s sentencing.

One testified that Killion’s actions destroyed their son’s spirit and personality, leaving him with depression and anxiety.

Another testified she knew something was wrong, but was unable to prove it. Her son denied there was anything wrong until the first report came out that Killion had been indicted. He then admitted he was abused by Killion.

Children admitted they were embarrassed to go to school and one mother lost her job while working with investigators in the case.

One woman testified her son had no father, and she considered having hiom baptized with Killion, who she referred to in court only as “the monster” as the godfather.

The camping trips took place at Bass River State Park in Burlington County in June of 2010, where he assaulted two boys who were in his care, and Belleplain Park, where he assaulted another boy in his care between June of 2007 and September of 2009.

He was found guilty of assaulting another victim at his home, and the victim’s Camden County home between 2004 and 2008.

He was convicted of assaulting a fifth victim between April of 1997 and September of 1999 in Killion’s home and his truck while it was parked in the Absecon Marshes.

“He targeted children with family problems and low self esteem,” Chief Assistant Prosecutor Pam D’Arcy said. “He took them on trips and told them he loved them. It wasn’t until they were older they realized he manipulated them. They are no longer little boys. They are now young men who were brave enough to confront him. They showed they are not victims. They are survivors.”