NJ wrestling coach pleads guilty to sex crimes with minors

Suzanne Russell, MyCentralJersey.com
·2 min read
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NEW BRUNSWICK – A former special education teacher at Sayreville Middle School who also served as a wrestling coach at Union College and numerous other schools throughout Central Jersey has pleaded guilty to multiple charges after being accused of sexual misconduct with minors.

John Denuto, 46, of Spotswood, pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Benjamin Bucca to one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, one count of third-degree endangering and one count of fourth-degree invasion of privacy, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced.

Denuto is facing seven years in prison when he’s sentenced on Sept. 8 and will be on parole supervision for life and must register under Megan’s Law.

Denuto was initially arrested on Feb. 15, 2020, following an investigation that found he had criminal sexual contact with a juvenile and possessed sexually exploitive materials he had created by filming and photographing the juvenile.

John M. Denuto, 46, of Spotswood, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges after being accused of sexual misconduct with minors.
John M. Denuto, 46, of Spotswood, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges after being accused of sexual misconduct with minors.

But further investigation determined Denuto was in possession of additional child sexual exploitive materials unrelated to the juvenile, according to the prosecutor's office.

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

More: NJ coach allegedly sexually assaulted ex-student at Sayreville school board president's home

Denuto was indicted in April 2021 on four counts of endangering the welfare of a child in the first, second and third degrees in connection with filming and possessing child sexual exploitation material, six counts of aggravated criminal sexual contact in the third degree and six counts of criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree.

In addition, he was indicted on eight counts of invasion of privacy in the third degree, two counts of witness tampering in the third degree and one count of hindering his apprehension in the third degree.

Denuto had been associated with the following schools, organizations and clubs:

  • Rhino's Wrestling Club (Morganville)

  • CJA Wrestling Club (East Brunswick)

  • Pennsville High School

  • Raritan High School

  • St. John Vianney High School

  • Sayreville Middle School

  • Sayreville High School

  • Middletown North High School

  • Monroe High School

  • The Peddie School (Hightstown)

  • South Brunswick High School

  • Saint Joseph High School (Montvale)

  • Union County College

  • Camden Catholic High School

  • A.L. Johnson High School

  • St. Thomas Aquinas High School

  • Woodbridge High School

  • Woodbridge Recreation Program

  • Old Bridge Recreation Program

  • Piscataway High School

  • Spotswood High School

  • Freehold Borough High School

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ wrestling coach John Denuto pleads guilty to sex crimes with minors