Catholic School Coach From Woodbridge Charged With Sex Crime

A Catholic school basketball coach from Woodbridge has been has been charged with repeatedly performing a sex act in the presence of a 14­-year-­old girl, authorities said.

Darren Ventre, 40, of the Fords section of Woodbridge, was arrested Friday and charged with aggravated criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child.

He volunteered as athletic director and as coach of the girls’ basketball team at St. Matthew the Apostle R.C. Church in Edison, according to a news release from Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Woodbridge Police Robert Hubner.

Ventre brought the girl to his home and performed the sex act on a number of occasions over an extended period, the news release said.

Police began the investigation after the girl told a counselor, who contacted the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, according to the news release.

Ventre is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center in North Brunswick, in lieu of bail set at $75,000.

Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Grace Brown and Woodbridge Detective Tina Small handled the investigation, which is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call Brown at (732) 745­-3600 or Small at (732) 643-­7700.

Photo courtesy Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office