Hitler Santana, also known as Luis Camacho, is accused of sexually abusing his girlfriend's teenage daughter over a five-year span
NEW BRUNSWICK -- A judge is expected to rule this week in the trial of a Middlesex County man accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl, who is deaf and mute.
Hitler Santana, also known as Luis Camacho, faces three charges of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child over a five-year span, according to a superseding indictment handed up on March 31.
Santana waived his right to a jury trial Tuesday, when jury selection was scheduled to start, and requested a bench trial, where the judge decides the case instead of a jury.
"I now become the judge of the facts and the judge of the law, do you understand that?" Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Dennis Nieves asked Santana.
"I want you to make the decision and make justice," Santana said through an interpreter.
Defense attorney Michael Allongo told NJ Advance Media he filed the motion due to the complexity of trying a case where at least four translators are needed: two for deaf witnesses and two others to translate for Santiago and another witness, who only speak Spanish.
The case centers around allegations made by the teenage girl and the people she told of the alleged abuse.
On Wednesday, when the girl took the stand, she described through a pair of interpreters multiple incidents where Santana allegedly touched her on the backside, breasts and genitals at her house where she lived with her mother. She also accused the man of forcing her to touch him.
"He would pull my hand to him to touch his private parts," she said through interpreters.
Allongo described the prosecutor's case as a he-said-she-said and hearsay from what the one alleged victim told others.
Santana has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, which Allongo said will be the basis of his defense.
The prosecutor's office did not respond to calls for comment.
Nieves is expected to make a ruling in the case when the trial is set to end on Wednesday.
"These are always tough cases with tough accusations," Allongo said.
"It's difficult when you have so many interpreters," he said explaining his motion for the bench trial.
Allongo also argued in his motion that he was concerned with the jury being prejudiced if one of the witnesses accidently referred to Santana as Hitler.
Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Carver objected saying he didn't believe any of the witnesses would refer to the defendant as Hitler since he was known to them as Luis, Mr. Camacho or Joey.
Carver questioned whether Nieves should consider recusing himself from the case to allay any potential appearance of partiality since Santana's attorney clerked for the superior court judge.
"I'm offended," Nieves said in response. "The fact Mr. Allongo worked for this court seven years ago and not only that, left my employ and went to your office to work as a county prosecutor."
"I'm not challenging the court's impartiality or fairness, I'm relying on it," Carver said.
Nieves ruled after a short break he will remain on the case.
Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.