Thomas Zowasky was convicted a decade ago in Burlington County for having a sexual relationship with a 12-year-old girl.
TRENTON -- A man convicted of several sex crimes for having a sexual relationship with a 12-year-old girl for almost a year has lost his latest appeal.
Thomas ZowaskyThomas Zowasky was initially convicted a decade ago in Burlington County for having a sexual relationship with the girl in 2003 and 2004, when he was 45-years-old.
He was a welder living in a Bordentown Township motel at the time, and the assaults occurred there, and in Pemberton Township and Cinnaminson, police said.
He was sentenced to a total of 45 years behind bars.
In 2009, an appeals court reversed his convictions and ordered a new trial due to problems with the way polygraph evidence was introduced at trial, and how the jury reviewed Zowasky's videotaped statement to investigators.
At his second trial, Zowasky was convicted again of multiple sex offenses and a judge imposed the same sentence.
Zowasky mounted a second appeal in 2012 and the case was upheld.
In 2014, Zowasky lost bid for post-conviction relief and appealed that decision, which an appeals court decided Wednesday.
Zowasky argued he had ineffective counsel at this trial, and and once again attacked the use of a videotape of his statement to police.
The appeals panel was not swayed.
Zowasky is now 56-years-old and incarcerated at New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. He is eligible for parole in 2042.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.