Former Coach With Edison Ties Charged With Sex Crimes

EDISON, NJ — A former special education teacher and wrestling coach who used to work at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Edison has been indicted on multiple charges of sexual contact with a minor as well as secretly filming adults, authorities said.

John M. Denuto, 44, of Spotswood was a former special education teacher at Sayreville Middle School and former wrestling coach at Union County College, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said.

He was associated with many youth athletic programs throughout Central Jersey, including St. Thomas Aquinas High School, formerly known as Bishop George Ahr High School.

Denuto was initially arrested on February 15, 2020 following an investigation that found he had criminal sexual contact with a juvenile and possessed child sexual exploitive materials that he had created by filming and photographing the juvenile, Sayreville Police Chief John Zebrowski said.

Further investigation revealed Denuto was in possession of additional child sexual exploitive material unrelated to the juvenile, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Authorities said Denuto had photographed seven other victims’ intimate parts without their knowledge, and inappropriately touched five of those victims.

Denuto was indicted on four counts of endangering the welfare of a child in the first-, second-, and third-degree stemming from his filming and possession of child sexual exploitation material as well as eight counts of invasion of privacy in the third-degree, six counts of aggravated criminal sexual contact in the third-degree, six counts of criminal sexual contact in the fourth-degree, two counts of witness tampering in the third-degree, and one count of hindering his apprehension in the third-degree.

According to the prosecutor’s office, Denuto was associated with the following schools, organizations, and clubs:

• Rhino's Wrestling Club - Morganville
• CJA Wrestling Club - East Brunswick
• Pennsville High School - Pennsville
• Raritan High School - Hazlet Township
• Saint John Vianney - Holmdel
• Sayreville Middle School - Sayreville
• Sayreville High School - Sayreville
• Middletown North High School - Middletown Township
• Bergen Catholic High School
• Monroe High School - Monroe
• Peddie High School - Hightstown
• South Brunswick High School - South Brunswick
• Saint Joseph High School - Montvale
• Union County College - Cranford
• Camden Catholic High School - Cherry Hill
• Johnson High School - Clark
• St. Thomas Aquinas High School (formerly Bishop Ahr HS) - Edison
• Woodbridge High School - Woodbridge
• 7th & 8th Woodbridge Recreation Program - Woodbridge
• 7th & 8th Grade Old Bridge Recreation Program - Old Bridge
• Piscataway High School - Piscataway
• Spotswood High School - Spotswood
• Freehold Boro High School - Freehold Borough

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sergeant Daniel Ellmyer of the Sayreville Police Department (732) 727-4444, or Sergeant Julissa Alvarado of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3848.