|
 The teenagers from Sayreville War Memorial High School are accused
of sexual assaults on four different victims on four different
occasions in September, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor
Andrew C. Carey and Sayreville Police Chief John Zebrowski.
Six of the students were arrested on Friday. The seventh turned
himself in to police on Saturday, according to the Middlesex County
Prosecutor's Office.
"On various dates between September 19, 2014 and September 29, 2014
... one or more of the juvenile defendants either held the victims
against their will, while other juvenile defendants improperly
touched the juvenile victims in a sexual manner," a statement said.
Three of the defendants were charged with sexual assault and hazing,
prosecutors said. One of those three and the four others were
charged with aggravated assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact
and other crimes.
The teens, aged 15 to 17, were expected to make a court appearance
this week.
After the allegations surfaced last week, the school, which has
about 1,700 students and is considered a football powerhouse,
canceled remaining games for its freshman, junior varsity and
varsity football teams.
Reported incidents of intimidation and bullying involving football
players at the school "took place on a pervasive level," Richard
Labbe, schools superintendent for Sayreville borough, said during a
press conference.
Local lawmakers were urging a full investigation and asking how
athletic staff could remain unaware of the abuse.
"Based on what has come out, there needs to be a total house
cleaning at the Sayreville athletic department," state Senator
Raymond Lesniak told NJ Advance Media.
[to top of second column]
|
The Sayreville Bombers varsity football team has won three state
sectional championships and the head coach, George Najjar, was
inducted into the New Jersey Football Coaches Association Hall of
Fame.
Najjar told local media he was not yet ready to issue a statement on
the criminal scandal and said he was uncertain of his future with
the school.
It was unclear if there would be more charges or arrests.
If convicted of the most serious charge of aggravated sexual
assault, students could face up to five years in a juvenile
detention center.
If prosecuted as adults, they face up to 20 years in prison.
(Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere in Seattle; Editing by Eric Walsh)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
