Monmouth County gymnastics coach charged with sexual assault against former athletes
FREEHOLD – A former youth gymnastics coach who worked throughout Monmouth County for over 30 years has been charged with sexual offenses against three athletes he once coached when they were in their teens, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Monday.
Sasha C. Raught, 55, of Manchester, entered into two sexual relationships with his former athletes when he was employed at Shrewsbury Gymnastics during the early to mid-1990s. A third relationship took place in 2008, while he was employed at Jonas Gymnastics Academy in Marlboro, all according to a statement from the Prosecutor’s Office.
Raught is charged with one count of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and three counts of second-degree sexual assault. If convicted, he could be sentenced to at least 20 years in state prison, the statement said.
Investigators from the Special Victims Bureau of the Prosecutor’s Office are asking the public who may have additional information about Raught’s alleged misconduct to contact Detective Joseph Pahopin at 800-533-7443.
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Raught was arrested at his Ocean County home late last month without incident by officers from the Prosecutor’s Office, and the Manchester and Shrewsbury police departments, the statement said.
He is in the Monmouth County Jail in Freehold Township pending a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
The Prosecutor’s Office said it has filed a motion to keep Raught in jail pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings against him in state Superior Court.
The case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Keri-Leigh Schaefer.
Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore gymnastics coach charged with sexually assaulting teen athletes
