Chess club advisor at Verona high school charged with sexual assault of a student

A teacher at Verona High School has been charged with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, the Essex County Prosecutor's said on Tuesday.

Matthew Swajkowski, 36, of Verona, was taken into custody on Friday and is accused of engaging "in sexually inappropriate conduct with the juvenile victim."

Swajkowski oversaw the high school's chess club and the prosecutor says the juvenile victim was a student and a member of the club.

Verona Superintendent Diane DiGiuseppe said in a statement: "The accusations against and subsequent arrest of a staff member are extremely distressing. The district takes any accusation of inappropriate conduct by a staff member seriously, cooperates with law enforcement authorities, and takes personnel action as permitted by law. In this case, as soon as the district learned of these accusations, the staff member was placed on administrative leave."

The joint investigation by the prosecutor's office and the Verona Police Department began in July after the police were notified.

Swajkowski is also charged with sexual conduct with a minor and providing alcohol to someone underage.

"While the age of consent in New Jersey is 16, it is unlawful for anyone whose 'legal, professional or occupational status' gives them 'supervisory or disciplinary power' over a child who is at least 16 but less than 18 years old to engage in sexual conduct with that child," said Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens in a release.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Verona NJ High School teacher charged with sexual assault