Case of Foye Minton, Jr

Case of Foye Minton
(AKA: Foye C. Minton, Foye Minton, Foye Congleton Minton)

This page is created in honor of the survivor who had the courage 
to come forward and have her offender prosecuted.
 

Baltimore Hebrew Day School - Baltimore, MD
Dean of Students, Shoshana S. Cardin School - Baltimore, MD

Director of Athletics and Head Coach, Shoshana S. Cardin School - Baltimore, MD
University of Phoenix - Phoenix, AZ

Wanchese, NC
Greenville, NC
Baseball pitcher - East Carolina University (1998 to 2001)
 

Foye C. Minton plead guilty to second degree assault on December 19, 2013.   He received   twenty years probation.  

According to reports,  Minton had a four-year relationship with a high school student at the school in which he was both dean of students and the director of athletics.  The teenage girl was 16 years old, when the alleged abuse began.  He was 29.

Maryland law prohibits adults in a position of trust, authority or guardianship, such as teachers, coaches and pastors, from having a sexual relationship with a minor, regardless of whether the child consents.

According to information found on the internet it is not believe that Foye Minton was Jewish.  His parents were not.  It's unknown at this time if he had a conversion.  

Foye Minton was born on May 16, 1979.

If you or anyone you know was abused by Foye Minton or have additional information call the Baltimore police at 410-307-2020 and ask to speak to a detective.  

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Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if the resources meet their own personal needs.

Table of Contents

2010

1. Beyond The Classroom Award - Shoshana S. Cardin (06/10/2010)
   

2011

1.  Cardin Faculty and Staff (06/01/2011)

2013

1. Linkedin - Foye Minton (01/14/2013)
2. School dean charged with abuse (01/14/2013)
3. Baltimore Hebrew Teacher Charged With Child Abuse (01/14/2013)
4. Cardin School Gym Teacher Charged with Child Abuse (01/14/2013)
5. Cockeysville gym teacher charged with child abuse:  Police: Victim says abuse began in 2009 (01/14/2013)
6. PE Teacher Charged With Sexually Abusing Former Student (01/14/2013)
7. Private school teacher arrested in sexual abuse investigation (01/14/2013)
8. Ex-gym teacher charged with abusing student (01/14/2013)
9. Former ECU pitcher charged (01/15/2013)
10. Baltimore teacher accused of sex with student denies allegations  (01/15/2013)
11. Child abuse charge for Md. high school teacher  (01/15/2013)
12. Baltimore Jewish day school teacher arrested on child abuse charges  (01/15/2013)
13. Child Abuse Suspect Was Employee at Another Private School   (01/15/2013)
    
14. Maryland Case Search - Conviction (12/19/2013)

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Cardin Faculty and Staff
June 1, 2011

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Beyond the Classroom Award - Shoshana S. Cardin
June 18, 2010

Beyond the Classroom

Shoshana S. Cardin

 

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LINKEDIN - Foye Minton

January 14, 2013

Education 
Management Professional

Baltimore, Maryland Area

Education Management

Foye C. Minton coaching

BACKGROUND 

Experience

Dean of Students and Director of Athletics

Shoshana S. Cardin School

August 2004 – August 2011 (7 years 1 month) Pikesville, Maryland

• Oversee all discipline issues and act as the point person in respect to disciplinary concerns

• Work directly with the Guidance Department and Head of School to create personalized plans for students with disciplinary issues

• Supervise all detentions and in-school suspensions

• Annually revise the Student Handbook, in consultation with administrative staff and faculty

• Act as the point person within the school when the Head of School is unavailable

• Initiated a comprehensive athletic program in 2004

• Manage and organize all aspects of the athletic program including, but not limited to inventory, purchasing, scheduling, determining sport offerings, coordinating game officials, hiring and managing all coaching staff, professional development, fundraising, transportation, and facilities management

• Oversee and coordinate the budget for all sports

• Act as a consultant to the administration and coaching personnel on matters pertaining to the athletic program

• Developed and implemented a training course for students interested in holding leadership roles within the school

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School dean charged with abuse

ABC News - January 14, 2013
By WMAR Staff




Foye C. Minton Jr., 33, of the unit block of Breezy Hill Ct., 21030, has been charged with child abuse following an investigation by the Baltimore County Police Department's crimes against children unit.

A private school teacher has been charged with having a sexual relationship with one of his students.


When the alleged abuse occurred – Foye Minton, Jr. was the dean of students and director of athletics at the Shoshana Cardin High School in Pikesville.  He was also a gym teacher and a coach.

Police say he had a four-year relationship with a student that began when she was 16 years old, and he was 29.

The victim, who is now 20, contacted Baltimore County Police last month.

“She told our detectives that as she became older, she realized that this relationship was wrong and asked for it to stop.  The suspect continued to try to contact her for some time after that,” said Elise Armacost, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore County Police Department.

The county's crimes against children unit investigated.

They now say the abuse happened inside of the small high school off Park Heights Avenue in Pikesville, along with other locations in Baltimore County, and the home where the suspect used to live, in Baltimore City.

“This was a very thorough investigation that involved interviews with the suspect and the victim as well as physical evidence,” Armacost said.

The girl’s age when police say the relationship started – 16 -- is the age of consent in Maryland – unless the alleged offender is a person of authority.

Minton was arrested last week at another school where he had been working -- the Hebrew Day School, which is across the street from the Shoshana Cardin School.

He is in the Baltimore County Detention Center being held on $250-thousand bond.

Baltimore County police say there may be more victims -- if you or someone you know has any information, you are asked to call them at (410) 307-2020.

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Baltimore Hebrew Teacher Charged With Child Abuse

By Maayan Jaffe

Baltimore Jewish Times - January 14, 2013

Alleged Sex Offender - Foye Minton

A physical education teacher at the Day School at Baltimore Hebrew has been suspended following charges of child abuse.

Foye C. Minton, 33, has been charged with child abuse following an investigation by the Baltimore County Police Department’s Crimes against Children Unit, according to Elise Armacost, director of media and communications for the Baltimore County Public Safety unit. The female victim, now an adult, contacted police in the fall of 2012. She told investigators that the abuse started when she was a minor at the Shoshana S. Cardin School and Minton was its dean of students and director of athletics. 

David Prashker, current head of the Cardin School, told the JT that he was informed of the charges at the end of last week and that the criminal process is moving forward.

“There is a police investigation, and we will cooperate fully,” he said. “This needs to go through the courts and the police and allow the justice system to do what it is in place to do. … I don’t want to make any other comments in the interim.”

“If I suspected anything inappropriate he would not have remained an employee,” said Barbie Prince, who was the head of the school at the time of the allegations.

Baltimore Hebrew sent a letter to parents last week informing them of the situation and that the school is “not aware of any incidents or complaints in connection to this teacher while teaching at the Day School.”

The letter, signed by Head of School Gerri Chizeck and President Dr. Louis Shpritz, said the school is committed to “ensuring the safety and integrity of our community.”

In a phone interview, Chizeck told the JT that the school is cooperating with the investigation and that Baltimore Hebrew is “naturally not making statements at this time. … We have little information; we are not privy to that.”

In the letter, Chizeck and Shpritz requested all parents’ conversations about the matter be kept to a minimum and also asked that parents refer any and all inquiries to Chizeck.

The abuse continued for about four years. The victim told police that Minton repeatedly attempted to contact her after she ended the relationship. 

Minton is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $250,000 bond. Police believe there may be other victims. Anyone with additional information should call police at 410-307-2020 to contact a detective. 

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Cardin School Gym Teacher Charged with Child Abuse 
By Janet Metzner
Pikesville Patch - January 14, 2013
  

Baltimore County Police said the victim, now 20, was a student during the four years of alleged abuse by a man who resides in Cockeysville, and there could be more victims.

A former student at Shoshana S. Cardin School told police that her gym teacher and coach at the private school in Pikesville sexually abused her for years.

Foye C. Minton Jr., 33, of Cockeysville, has been charged with child abuse against a female student for offenses that police allege began in 2009 and continued for about four years, according to a news release from Baltimore County police.

The woman, now 20, contacted police last month to report the alleged abuse, according to the release. It's not clear whether Minton is still employed by the school. Minton is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $250,000 bond.

Cardin high school is located on the Temple Oheb Shalom site

At the time of the alleged offenses, Minton, who is a resident of the unit block of Breezy Hill Court in Cockeysville, was also dean of students and director of athletics at the school.

The abuse allegedly took place in various locations, including Minton's home,  according to police.
"The investigation showed that over the course of the relationship the suspect engaged in sexual activity with her at his home in Baltimore City, where he was living at the time; in the school; and at various locations in Baltimore County," the release states.

The victim told police that Minton repeatedly attempted to contact her after she ended the relationship.

Police say there may be other victims. Anyone with information should call police at 410-307-2020 to contact a detective.

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Cockeysville gym teacher charged with child abuse

Police: Victim says abuse began in 2009

WBAL-NBC News - January 14, 2013

COCKEYSVILLE, Md. —Baltimore County police have charged a 33-year-old man with child abuse and believe there may be additional victims.

Alleged Sex Offender - Foye C. Minton

Authorities said Foye C. Minton Jr., of Cockeysville, has been charged with child abuse following an investigation by the Baltimore County Police Department's Crimes Against Children Unit after a victim, now 20, contacted police in December 2012.

The woman told investigators the abuse started in 2009 when she was a student at the Shoshana S. Cardin School and Minton was dean of students and director of athletics at the school. He was her coach and gym teacher, police said.

Investigators said over the course of the relationship Minton engaged in sexual activity with her at his home in Baltimore City, where he was living at the time; in the school; and at various locations in Baltimore County. The abuse continued for about four years.

The victim told police that Minton repeatedly attempted to contact her after she ended the relationship.

Minton is held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $250,000 bond.

Police said they believe there may be other victims and are asking anyone with additional information to call 410-307-2020 to contact a detective.

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PE Teacher Charged With Sexually Abusing Former Student

CBS NEWS-Baltimore - January 14, 2013

PIKESVILLE, Md. (WJZ)—Shock for parents at one of Baltimore’s premier Jewish schools. A physical education teacher has been arrested at school for child sex abuse. Police say he had an inappropriate relationship with a former student.

Kai Jackson explains why police want to get the word out.

Police are aggressively investigating this case to determine if there are other victims.

Baltimore County police say the abuse happened at the Shoshana S. Cardin School in the 7300-block of Park Heights Avenue in Pikesville.

Police say 33-year-old Foye Minton Jr., a former administrator, is under arrest charged with sexual abuse against a former female student.

“She told our investigators that she had been victimized by a man there who was her coach, her gym teacher,” said Elise Armacost, Baltimore County police.


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Private school teacher arrested in sexual abuse investigation
Victim alleged sexual abuse when she was a student

By Carrie Wells

Baltimore Sun - January 14, 2013

Foye Minton - Alleged Sex Offender

A Baltimore private school teacher was arrested last week after an investigation by the Baltimore County Police Department's Crimes Against Children Unit, police said Monday.

Foye C. Minton Jr., 33, of Cockeysville, was charged with child abuse, police said, and is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $250,000 bond.

Police said a victim, now 20, came forward in December alleging that the abuse started in 2009 when she was a student at Shoshana S. Cardin School in Baltimore. At the time, Minton was dean of students and director of athletics at the school and was the victim's coach and gym teacher, according to police.

A relationship and sexual activity between Minton and the victim continued for several years at his home in Baltimore City, the school and other locations, police alleged.

Minton was arrested at the Day School at Baltimore Hebrew, where he was an employee, police said. Police did not have further information on when he began working there or his position. The court file is sealed.

David Prashker, head of school at Shoshana Cardin, said in an email that police informed the school of a former teacher's arrest last week. "The school is cooperating fully with the police investigation and has no further comment at this time," he said.

Police believe there may be other victims, and asked those with information to call 410-307-2020.

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Ex-gym teacher charged with abusing student 
Associated Press - January 14, 2013

PIKESVILLE, Md. (AP) — Baltimore County Police have arrested a former gym teacher they say engaged in sexual activity with a student.

Officers said Monday that the alleged victim, who is 20, contacted police last month. Police say the woman claimed the alleged abuse started in 2009 when she was a student at the Shoshana S. Cardin School in Pikesville. Authorities say the woman said 33-year-old Foye Minton Jr. was her coach and gym teacher.
The woman alleged that Minton engaged in sexual activity with her at his home.

Minton has been charged with child abuse and is being held on $250,000 bond.

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Former ECU pitcher charged 
Reflector - January 15, 2013

PIKESVILLE, Md. — Baltimore County Police have arrested a former gym teacher they say engaged in sexual activity with a student.

Officers said Monday that the alleged victim, who is 20, contacted police last month about Foye Minton Jr., 33, a baseball pitcher for East Carolina University from 1998 to 2001.

Police say the woman claimed the alleged abuse started in 2009 when she was a student at the Shoshana S. Cardin School in Pikesville.

Authorities say the woman said 33-year-old Foye Minton Jr. was her coach and gym teacher.

The woman alleged that Minton engaged in sexual activity with her at his home.

Minton has been charged with child abuse and is being held on $250,000 bond.

Minton tossed a no-hitter against N.C. State on Feb. 14, 1999. The following season, he and Davey Penny threw a combined no-hitter against Duke, with Minton pitching the first seven innings.

Those are the Pirates’ only no-hitters against Atlantic Coast Conference teams.

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Baltimore teacher accused of sex with student denies allegations

Teacher and coach at private Jewish school charged with child abuse
By Kevin Rector and Carrie Wells
The Baltimore Sun - January 15, 2013

The attorney for a Baltimore private school teacher has acknowledged that his client had sex with a former student, but says he is innocent of any crime because the contact was part of a consensual, adult relationship.

Foye C. Minton, 33, of Cockeysville, was charged with second-degree child abuse, police said, and is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $250,000 bond.

A lawyer who has represented Minton in previous traffic cases released a statement on his behalf Tuesday that said he had no inappropriate contact with his accuser when she was a minor.

"Any sexual involvement with the alleged victim was consensual and occurred when she was over the age of eighteen and with her parents having full knowledge of the relationship throughout," said the statement issued by attorney Adam P. Frank. "Mr. Minton would ask that you withhold any judgment until all the facts are presented at trial."

Police said a victim, now 20, came forward in December alleging that the abuse started in 2009 when she was a student at Shoshana S. Cardin School in Baltimore. At the time, Minton was dean of students and director of athletics at the school and was the victim's coach and gym teacher, according to police. He was working at the Day School at Baltimore Hebrew at the time of his arrest.

Authorities believe there may be more victims, but have not connected them to either school. Frank said reports of additional victims are not true.

Police said the alleged sexual relationship took place between Jan. 17, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2010, and occurred at his home in Baltimore City, the school and other locations. The girl's age at the time of the alleged crimes has not been released.

Baltimore County police said adults "in a position of trust, authority or guardianship" are barred from having sex with minors, whether they consent or not.

"The victim told police that she tried to end the relationship as she got older, but that Minton repeatedly attempted to contact her after she tried to end it," police said in a statement.

Minton was arrested on Jan. 10 at the Day School, police said. Police did not have further information on his position or when he began working there. The court file is sealed.

Principals at Shoshana Cardin and the Day School, both private Jewish schools, sent letters to parents and faculty members after Minton's arrest last week that said Minton had gone through a full background check before being hired.

The Day School letter also said Minton had been placed on leave and the school had begun looking to "cover" his position.

"We are not aware of any incidents or complaints in connection with this teacher while teaching at the Day School," the letter said. It ended with "Please keep conversations regarding this to a minimum so as to protect the reputation of our school and the well-being of our students."

Gerri Chizeck, head of the Day School, said she was "not authorized to give any statements" about the case on Tuesday afternoon. She said no one else from the school would be commenting either.

David Prashker, head of school at Shoshana Cardin, said in an email that police informed the school of the arrest last week. "The school is cooperating fully with the police investigation and has no further comment at this time," he said.

Prashker added that the school was consulting with legal and communications advisers in light of "the most serious of charges."

"As I am sure you are aware, the school remains fully committed to ensuring the integrity of our community," Prashker wrote last week in the letter to the school community. "This is a very delicate and sensitive matter and we need to be respectful of the process."

Nancy Aiken, the executive director of the Counseling Helpline Aid Network for Abused Women, says the victim approached her organization for help before the police became involved. Aiken is familiar with the case and has spoken extensively with the victim and her family.

"This was a man who had a fair amount of power and prestige in his position as teacher and coach in a small school," Aiken said.

Aiken thought the letters from the two schools could have done more to encourage victims to speak about it openly.

"When this kind of issue stays in the realm of defensiveness and gossip, victims and survivors are not served," she said. "It creates more silence and separation between members of the community."

Police asked those with information to call 410-307-2020.

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Child abuse charge for Md. high school teacher 

Associated Press - January 15, 2013

PIKESVILLE, Md. — A gym teacher and coach at a Jewish high school outside Baltimore has been charged with child abuse for allegedly having sex with a student over a 4-year period.

Baltimore County police say 33-year-old Foye Minton was charged after an investigation by the department’s crimes against children unit.

Police say the victim is now 20 years old and contacted investigators in December. She told police the abuse began in 2009 when she was a student at the Shoshana S. Cardin School. Minton was dean of students and athletic director at the time.

Minton is being held on $350,000 bond. Online court records of the case are sealed, and there is no listing of an attorney for him.

Baltimore Jewish day school teacher arrested on child abuse charges 

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Baltimore Jewish day school teacher arrested on child abuse charges

JTA - January 15, 2013 

A physical education teacher at a Baltimore Jewish high school was arrested and charged with child abuse.

Foye Minton, 33, was arrested last week by Baltimore County Police at the Day School at Baltimore Hebrew, where he works.

Minton is accused of having a sexual relationship with a female student for four years at the Shoshana S. Cardin School, where Minton previously worked as dean of students and athletic director.

The student, who said the abuse started in 2009, is now 20. She approached police in December, and they conducted an investigation that culminated in Minton's arrest, the Baltimore Sun reported.

According to the Baltimore Jewish Times, the student told police that Minton attempted to contact her on several occasions after she ended the relationship.

Baltimore Hebrew sent a letter to parents last week informing them of the arrest and said the school is “not aware of any incidents or complaints in connection to this teacher while teaching at the Day School,” the Baltimore Jewish Times reported.   

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Child Abuse Suspect Was Employee at Another Private School
By Janet Metzner
Lutherville-Timonium Patch - January 15, 2013 

Coach and teacher accused of having sexual contact with a Shoshana S. Cardin School student in 2009 and 2010 was arrested Jan. 10 at his employment at The Day School at Baltimore Hebrew. 

Foye C. Minton Jr., the Shoshana S. Cardin School coach and teacher charged with child abuse of a student, was arrested Jan. 10 at his current job at the private Baltimore Hebrew Day School.

Minton, a resident of Cockeysville, is charged with second-degree child abuse for offenses that occurred between Jan. 17, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2010, when he worked at Cardin, police said Tuesday.
The alleged abuse occurred with a female who was a student at Cardin at the time, according to a statement issued Tuesday by Baltimore County police.

"The relationship continued for about four years," the statement said. "The victim told police that she tried to end the relationship as she got older, but that Minton repeatedly attempted to contact her after she tried to end it."

Cardin is a private high school located at 7301 Park Heights Ave. in Pikesville. It is a school for girls and boys in grades 9-12.

Minton was arrested Jan. 10 while he was at his job at The Day School at Baltimore Hebrew.

The day school is also a private school in Pikesville, and located near Cardin at 7401 Park Heights Ave. It serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grades.

Gerri Chizech, head of school at Baltimore Hebrew, said Minton "was a part-time employee for several months at our school." She did not respond, however, to an email asking the dates of his employment.

David Prashker, head of school at Cardin, said Minton is a former employee. “The school was informed last week that a former teacher had been arrested. The school is cooperating fully with the official investigation and has no further comment at this time."

Chizech said in an email that Baltimore Hebrew also is cooperating with police, and also would decline further comment.

This fall, Cardin School announced that it is set to close, and that Prashker, who joined Cardin in 2012, will be the head of school of a new school that is forming. Its classes will be held at The Day School at Baltimore Hebrew building and at Cardin.

The Independent Jewish Academy of Baltimore, is set to begin operating July 1. However, Chizech's and Prashker's email signatures each include that new school name and logo.

The alleged abuse occurred when Minton was a resident of Baltimore City, police said, and it happened at his residence, at the school and at other locations in Baltimore County.

"Maryland law prohibits adults in a position of trust, authority or guardianship, such as teachers, coaches and pastors, from having a sexual relationship with a minor, regardless of whether the child consents," the police statement said.

The case, reported by the victim in December, was investigated by the Baltimore County Police Department's Crimes Against Children Unit.

Police believe there may be other victims. Anyone with additional information should call police at 410-307-2020 to contact a detective.

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Conviction 
Maryland Case Search - December 19, 2013

Foye C. Minton plead guilty to second degree assault on December 19, 2013.   He received   twenty years probation.  

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Sex abuse in schools: Prosecutors say manipulation often begins with a text or email

Sex abuse in schools: Prosecutors say manipulation often begins with a text or email 

By Mary Jo Layton and Colleen Diskin

The Record - January 30, 2012

In the past three years, 23 teachers, coaches and school officials in North Jersey have been charged with or convicted of sex crimes against children. Three have been arrested this month alone. 

Statewide, nearly a dozen teachers or coaches have made headlines since the beginning of December, accused of everything from videotaping boys showering in a school locker room to having sex with teens they were chaperoning on a field trip.

"The details of some of these cases are really disturbing," said Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli.

The roster of cases includes a math teacher from Hasbrouck Heights who was sentenced to probation after exchanging 11,000 sexually explicit emails with a teenage girl at his high school and a Hackensack soccer trainer who went to prison after sexually assaulting an 11-year-old student. In Teaneck, a basketball coach admitted to authorities he collected naked photos of his players.

The cases come amid the sex scandals at Penn State, Syracuse University’s basketball program and the Amateur Athletic Union. It is happening years after similar scandals rocked the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts of America, setting off a national public discussion about trusted leaders accused of disturbing acts against children.

State crime statistics don’t track how many coaches or teachers have been accused of sexual crimes against children, but one measure indicates it’s happening more frequently: The number of teachers and administrators stripped of their licenses for sex-related offenses against children increased to 33 last year, up from 18 five years earlier, according to the state.

"I believe there are more teachers crossing the line then there were 10 years ago," said Chief Assistant Passaic County Prosecutor Joseph Del Russo, a veteran of the special-victims unit that investigates sex crimes against children.

To be sure, most of these crimes are perpetrated by the child’s relative, and the number of teachers and coaches accused is a tiny fraction of the people in those fields. But the cases among teachers and coaches have triggered concerns: Are background checks protecting children; is the role of social media increasing inappropriate contact; are the boundaries between student and teacher less defined now; are pedophiles or predators more likely to seek professions that place them in contact with children?

Preventing these crimes will require more than background checks. As the most recent arrests reveal, the defendants in New Jersey have no previous incidents and would not have raised red flags. By all accounts, they were respected teachers and popular coaches who didn’t raise suspicions.

"Being a great guy, being well-liked and giving back to the community is not mutually exclusive of having a sexual relationship with a child," Del Russo said.

In the latest arrest, Scott Rubinetti, the head coach of the Lyndhurst High School football team, was charged Wednesday with sexual assault of a student. Rubinetti allegedly had a sexual relationship with a high school senior — and urged the girl to lie if questioned by police, Molinelli said when he announced the arrest.

Rubinetti was hailed as a hero last season for steering his team to their first playoff win in nearly 30 years.

Making overtures

Del Russo and other prosecutors say a significant amount of manipulation now begins with a text or email exchange, leaving any child with a cellphone or Facebook account vulnerable.

Years ago, a teacher might have "lusted from afar" for a particular teen in a history class, Del Russo said, but never acted because there was no means of contact beyond a crowded classroom.

But technology is blurring social boundaries among students and their friends — and with their teachers — in many ways. Students are trading explicit photos and racy texts among themselves as they never have before. Meanwhile, having grown up with the Internet and texting, it may not seem unusual to them to receive emails from teachers.

"In the digital age, there’s a lot more opportunity for communication and more opportunity for abuse," said Del Russo, who just won a major victory in a case that started with an email.

Clifton resident Francisco Lindo, a math teacher and wrestling coach at a Union City school, was sentenced in December to five years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual assault. He had sex repeatedly with a female student in his home, Del Russo said. It all started with an email.

"Lindo not only emailed her, there were text messages and video chats," Del Russo said. "We have actual video clips of him communicating with her. They were sexually explicit."

In another case, a coach and substance abuse counselor at Wayne Valley High School met his victim when she came to him to talk about her personal problems.

Jonathan J. Titmas, a girls’ softball coach, pursued the girl for weeks with text messages until she finally agreed to meet him, prosecutors said. Titmas pleaded guilty in March to charges involving the sexual relationship, served 45 days in jail and is on three years’ probation.

"There’s just no reason for a teacher to be repeatedly texting with a student," Molinelli said.

Parents must be sure their children understand the proper boundaries for interacting with their coaches, teachers and mentors, law enforcement officials said. What can start as a nice message, such as "I like your dress," can morph into something more sinister over time.

"In many of the cases, you don’t really see it happening until you’re deep in it and then it’s too late," said Daniel Watter, a Morristown psychologist.

Authorities said this is the kind of situation that happened at Becton Regional High School, where a teacher was accused of exchanging more than 11,000 sexually explicit pictures and text messages with a 16-year-old student.

Gianfranco Maucione pleaded guilty to official misconduct. At his sentencing in June, the judge said the math teacher and soccer coach, who has a master’s degree in counseling, knew "how to get inside the head of a minor."

Maucione was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to undergo sex-offender counseling.

His 16-year-old-victim described herself as bright and confident before he started sending sexually explicit pictures and text messages. She talked of her despair after other students spread rumors and blamed her for the incident.

"I was shunned by society, practically exiled and treated like less of a human from friends and teammates I had figured would stand by me," the young woman wrote in a letter the prosecutor read in court.

"I would catch people pointing at me," she wrote. Comments were posted online. When she got a part-time job, one of her new co-workers asked her, "Oh, aren’t you the one who had sex with their teacher?" she wrote.

"Ten, twenty, fifty years from now," she wrote, "will I be known as the girl who supposedly had sex with a teacher or simply for my successes?"

‘Friending’ bans

In an attempt to prevent teachers from becoming too close to students, school boards are adopting policies to guide teachers in maintaining strict professional lines in their electronic communication with students and players.

Mike Yaple, a spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association, estimates that 15 to 20 percent of districts now have policies that prohibit teachers from "friending" students on networks. The policies also ban teachers from giving out private cell or home numbers without district approval. All "e-contacts" with students must be made through school computer and telephone systems and communication between coaches and players should be sent to all members of a team.

"We’re really seeing the first generation of teachers who grew up with social networking," Yaple said. "What a lot of districts are finding is that what might seem acceptable to those younger teachers might not seem professional behaviors to those who have been in education for awhile."

Some districts have also warned teachers that school administrators will periodically conduct Internet searches to find out if teachers have posted inappropriate comments or materials online.

Steve Baker, spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, said he is not aware of any school districts in the state that are aggressively monitoring their teachers’ social networking sites "but I’m sure that is happening in some districts."

It is unclear whether any districts have considered searching Facebook and other postings during the hiring process.

In Glen Rock, Superintendent David Verducci said teachers, coaches and others who come in contact with students are informed of school policy to avoid emails or texts with students or communicating via social networks. When a text or call is required, staff must keep a log — a message that’s hammered into staff at orientation and training sessions throughout the year, Verducci said.

"We instruct our folks to stay away from kids in the social media for everyone’s protection," Verducci said.

A new computer system launched this year districtwide makes it even less likely for improper contact to occur. Staff, students and parents are linked into a system that provides homework assignments, grades and other vital information. Emails can still be exchanged, but these can be monitored.

"This is a side benefit," Verducci said.

The veteran educator lamented the impact the cluster of cases has had on his profession.

"I can’t tell you the intensity of my feelings about these cases," he said. "We’re grossly offended by this."

Teen victims

More than half of the 23 cases reviewed by The Record involve male teachers or coaches accused of inappropriate sexual contact with teenage female students or players.

Another four cases involved children 13 and under, including that of Carlos Merchant, a Hackensack resident and former soccer trainer at the Sports Factory in Lincoln Park, who was sentenced in May to eight years in prison. He admitted he performed a sex act on an 11-year-old girl and made an 8-year-old girl touch him inappropriately.

One woman was arrested: Patricia Gallegos, a 24-year-old substitute teacher in Moonachie, was arrested last April and accused of inappropriate sexual conduct with a 14-year-old student.

Two defendants were charged with possessing child pornography.

Eight defendants pleaded guilty and received penalties ranging from probation to 22 years in prison. Four are enrolled in Pretrial Intervention programs that could result in their charges being dropped if the program is successfully completed. The other cases are pending.

Just last month, a grand jury indicted two former Paramus Catholic High School employees on 25 counts of engaging in illegal sexual behavior. Artur Sopel, who was the school’s vice president of operations, stands accused of engaging in sexual activity with two teens during a trip to Europe. Michael Sumulikoski, a substitute teacher and assistant football coach, is accused of engaging in sexual activities with one student on the trip.

The arrests "took everybody by surprise," said Tim Smith, the father of a sophomore and vice president of fund raising for the parent association. Smith said there were "no red flags" about the two employees charged in the case.

"I think most people know that this kind of thing can happen anywhere and it has happened everywhere," Smith said.

Experts say there’s no profile of a teacher or coach who turns into an abuser.

Philip Witt, a forensic psychologist who worked more than a decade at the state prison for sex offenders, wishes "there was some way to give somebody a psychological X-ray to determine if they might be a predator. But it simply doesn’t exist," said Witt, who served on the attorney general’s sex offender risk assessment task force.

In some cases, sex abusers "seek out a position of authority for the purpose of having sex with a minor," said Witt. However, those cases are more the exception than the rule, Witt said.

The more common explanation is that a teacher or coach goes through a turbulent time — a divorce, midlife crisis, a struggle with substance abuse — and develops an inappropriate emotional connection with a minor that evolves into sexual desire, Witt said.

In Witt’s view, if the teacher or coach hadn’t worked with children, it’s likely they might never have abused.

Molinelli said the cases are disturbing because "it’s the trust issue."

"We all talk to our children about not befriending strangers, but we for the most part teach them to trust in their teachers and coaches," said Molinelli, who has coached youth baseball. "When that trust is violated, it goes against the fabric of what we teach our kids."

David Clohessy, director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a national organization, agreed.

"The betrayal is the harm," he said "It’s always devastating to the youngster."

In cases involving older teens and their teachers, "it can be more psychologically damaging because predators are often more skillful in making older kids feel complicit and consenting," he said.

Gaps in screening

The arrests have put parents on alert. School officials have been forced to reassure nervous communities. Teachers are feeling the sting of increased scrutiny.

And now law enforcement officials are warning parents of a new danger. The region has experienced a proliferation of paid coaches and trainers who work for unregulated businesses or club teams. Because they aren’t affiliated with schools or any of the major youth leagues, there’s less of a guarantee that these coaches undergo criminal background checks or are subject to rules governing their interaction with players.

It’s already happened. In West Milford, a martial arts teacher pleaded guilty last February after he was accused of coercing girls into having sex by using an oath of obedience they took as part of their training. Trent Young was tried in federal court because prosecutors said he transported the girls across state lines for the sexual activity. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

"Parents really need to be finding out as much as they can about these coaches and businesses," Molinelli said.

Robert J. Shoop, a Kansas State University professor and author, sees an uptick in the number of cases of coaches abusing players.

"There’s been a significant increase in the number of reports of coaches both in school, university and civic organizations exploiting children," said Shoop, author of "Sexual Exploitation in Schools: How to Spot It and Stop It."

"All organizations have to understand it can happen anywhere, on any team, at any school," Shoop said.

The recent arrests can give the impression of an epidemic among trusted coaches, but in reality, the cases involve a fraction of people in those fields.

"As horrendous as these cases are, they’re isolated," said John McCarthy, Montclair State University professor and co-founder of the Yogi Berra Museum’s Coaching Institute, which runs programs for North Jersey high school and recreation coaches.

"There are over 300 schools that participate in athletics in New Jersey. Because it’s a cluster of cases, it’s got everyone on alert."

The impact of the cases is enormous, experts and local coaches said.

"When athletic directors are interviewing coaches for jobs, they’re going to have a whole lot more questions," said Robert Gilbert, a co-founder of the coaching institute and professor of Exercise Science and Physical Education at Montclair State. "They’re going to make a lot more phone calls."

At coaching seminars, McCarthy and Gilbert remind coaches of proper behavior — no meetings with closed doors, no practices where spectators aren’t welcome, no compromising situations.

"This fall we didn’t even need a textbook," McCarthy said. "All we needed was the newspaper."

In the past three years, 23 teachers, coaches and school officials in North Jersey have been arrested or pleaded guilty to sex-related charges involving children. They include:

* Scott Rubinetti, Lyndhurst High School’s head football coach, was charged with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly having a relationship with a high school senior during the 2009-10 school year, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office announced Jan. 25. The 39-year-old Nutley resident was also charged with witness tampering. 

* Kyle S. Daniw, 32, of Wayne was arrested Jan. 18 on charges of endangering the welfare of a child after authorities said he engaged in sexual conduct with a 16-year-old sophomore at Passaic Valley High School in Little Falls, where he was a history teacher and coach. 

* Joseph Greco, 27, a Park Ridge High School teacher, was arrested Jan. 7 and accused of having sex with student. Authorities said the student, who has since graduated, was in her junior or senior year of high school when the relationship began in 2010. 

* Michael Sumulikoski and Artur Sopel, two former Paramus Catholic High School employees, were indicted by a grand jury Dec. 21 on 25 counts of engaging in illegal sexual behavior with four female students — three of them during a school exchange trip to Europe in February. Sopel, 31, of River Edge, is accused of engaging in sexual activity with two female students during the trip. Sumulikoski, 27, of Elmwood Park, is accused of engaging in sexual activity with one of the female students during the trip. Authorities said a fourth victim then came forward and claimed she had engaged in sexual activities with Sopel in May 2010, when she was a student at the school. 

* Bruce F. Gordon, an Upper Saddle River school employee, was arrested Dec. 20 after school officials allegedly found child pornography on his computer. Gordon, the district’s director of building, grounds and maintenance, is a Wanaque resident. 

* Michael Boris, a 30-year-old Lodi resident who worked for Bogota High School for seven years in several coaching and extracurricular positions, was charged Nov. 23 with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual contact. He was accused of having sexual conversations with several students over the Internet and inappropriate sexual contact with one student. 

* Scott Van Hoven, a drama teacher at Paterson’s John F. Kennedy High School, was accused of having sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old student. Van Hoven, a Parsippany resident, was charged with sexual assault, criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child. He was indicted in June and his case is pending. 

* Derick Jerinsky, former assistant band instructor at Ramsey High School, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in June to three years in prison. He was charged with aggravated criminal sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child and obscenity after he allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with female high school students. 

* Ilya Krakinovskiy, 28, of Fort Lee was arrested May 17, 2010, and accused of having inappropriate contact with a female student from Leonia High School, where he was working as a student teacher. He was charged with endangering the welfare of a child. He’s no longer employed at the high school and entered a Pretrial Intervention program which is scheduled to end March 29. Charges will be dropped if he successfully completes the program. 

* Patricia Gallegos, 25, of Rutherford was arrested in April and charged with endangering the welfare of a child after authorities said she engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a 14-year-old student at Robert L. Craig School in Moonachie, where she worked as a part-time substitute teacher. 

* Mark C. Sorenson, a 58-year-old Clifton resident who was employed as a teacher at Paramus Catholic and also worked as a tutor, entered a two-year-long Pretrial Intervention program in March 2010, and charges will be dropped if he successfully completes the program. He was arrested in 2009 after being accused of showing photos of naked women to a girl he was tutoring, who was not a student at Paramus Catholic. 

* Takuya Ichikawa, a Cliffside Park resident, was charged with three counts of sexual assault and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child after he allegedly fondled a 7-year-old boy at a Japanese cultural school. He was admitted into Pretrial Intervention, and all charges will be dropped if he successfully completes program Oct. 12.

* Francisco Lindo, a Clifton resident and a math teacher in Union City, was sentenced to five years in prison in December for having an ongoing sexual relationship with a student that included some afterschool encounters at his Clifton home as well as sexually explicit video chats and texts. 

* Gianfranco Maucione, 30, who taught math and coached soccer at Becton Regional High School, was sentenced to five years’ probation in June and ordered to attend sex offender counseling. Maucione pleaded guilty to official misconduct after he was accused of exchanging more than 11,000 sexually explicit pictures and texts with a 16-year-old female student. 

* Carlos Merchant of Hackensack, a soccer coach at a facility in Lincoln Park, was sentenced to eight years in prison in May after he admitted performing a sex act on an 11-year-old girl and made an 8-year-old girl touch him inappropriately. He must serve 85 percent of sentence. 

* Trent Young, a West Milford martial arts teacher, was sentenced last February to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to charges that he took two female students and a third girl across state lines to have sex. Prosecutors said he coerced the girls into having sex by using an oath of obedience they took as part of their training and at other times he used force. He died in prison in November. 

* Jonathan J. Titmas, a softball coach and substance-abuse counselor at Wayne Valley High School, pleaded guilty in March, served 45 days in jail, and must serve three years of probation. He was accused of having sex with a 17-year-old student. 

* Joseph Ponsi, 63, who worked three decades as a guidance counselor at Palisades Park Junior-Senior High School before retiring in 2004, was sentenced in March 2010 to four years’ probation. He pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of child after being accused by police of transmission and possession of child pornography. 

* Patrick DeFranco was sentenced to five years in prison in 2010 for performing a sex act on a 13-year-old male student in a classroom closet in Morris County. He must also register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law. 

* Adam Melzer, who coached basketball in Teaneck, was sentenced in August 2009 to three years in prison, but the sentence was suspended. He must register as a Megan’s Law offender and have no contact with families or work with youth. Melzer pleaded guilty in 2009 to endangering the welfare of children and admitted he not only collected naked photographs of players, but showed a pornographic tape starring minors to at least one child.