SAYRESVILLE, N.J. (AP) - A former New Jersey middle school teacher who coached wrestling at multiple schools is facing more sex crime charges, authorities said.
John Denuto, 44, of Spotswood was charged last year with sexual assault of a teenager, possession of child pornography, photographing a child in a sex act and child endangerment.
The Middlesex County prosecutor’s office and Sayreville police said Friday that further investigation indicated possession of more “child sexual exploitive material.” Prosecutors also allege that Denuto had photographed seven other victims without their knowledge and inappropriately touched five of them.
Prosecutors said Denuto was indicted Thursday on aggravated criminal sexual contact, child endangerment, invasion of privacy, witness tempering and hindering apprehension counts, prosecutors said.
Defense attorney Edward Bilinkas said earlier that his client denies the allegations and people should avoid jumping to conclusions.
Union County College fired Denuto as the school’s head wrestling coach after he was arrested and he was suspended with pay from his position teaching special education math at Sayreville Middle School. Denuto was previously head coach at Pennsville and Camden Catholic high schools.
Denuto was transferred from Sayreville’s high school to the middle school in 2009 after accusations of abusive coaching techniques and having inappropriate conversations about his sex life. County authorities investigated and no action was taken, according to a lawsuit Denuto filed against the school.
Prosecutors released a list of more than two dozen schools and organizations with which Deunto had been associated. Authorities said the investigation is continuing and asked any one with information to contact Sayreville police or Middlesex County prosecutors.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.