Former Morganville Coach Charged In Child Sex Crimes

MONMOUTH COUNTY — A former special education teacher at a Middlesex County middle school who worked as a youth wrestling/basketball coach throughout Central Jersey was indicted Thursday on multiple charges of criminal sexual contact with a minor and secretly filming several adult victims, prosecutors said.

John M. Denuto, 44, of Spotswood, a former special education teacher at Sayreville Middle School and former wrestling coach at Union County College, was initially arrested on February 15, 2020 after Sayreville Police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office alleged he had criminal sexual contact with a juvenile and possessed child sex materials he had made by filming and photographing the juvenile.

The minor was known to him, police said. Further investigation determined Denuto was in possession of additional child sex materials of other juveniles.

Denuto had photographed seven other victims' intimate areas without their knowledge, and inappropriately touched five of those victims, the Middlesex Prosecutor’s Office said.

According to the Middlesex County Prosecutor, Denuto was associated with the following schools, organizations and clubs, either as a football or wrestling coach:

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

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.

The investigation is active and continuing. 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.

With reporting by Carly Baldwin.