A New York man's 42-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting a Bally's Atlantic City housekeeper in 2018 may be reduced following a state appeals court ruling.

Jamel Carlton was convicted in April 2022 of aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, burglary, aggravated assault, and criminal restraint for the attack.

The appeals court determined that Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Pamela D'Arcy violated Carlton's Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights during sentencing. The court ruled that a jury, not a judge, should decide whether an extended sentence is warranted, and that Carlton's prior New York felony convictions shouldn't have influenced the sentence length.

The assault occurred on February 10, 2018, when Carlton, after being released following a domestic violence incident at the hotel, returned and attacked a 51-year-old housekeeper. He pushed her into a room and sexually assaulted her, causing injuries requiring hospitalization. Carlton was later identified through security footage and arrested after a foot chase.

This incident led to significant changes in New Jersey hotel worker safety. Following pressure from the Unite-Here union Local 54, New Jersey became the first state to mandate wearable panic buttons for staff at hotels with more than 100 rooms, establishing a new standard for hotel worker protection.

Under normal circumstances, Carlton's charges would typically result in a 10-20 year sentence. However, prosecutors had sought a longer term due to his criminal history and the assault's severity. The case will now return to court for potential resentencing.

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