Ex-Coach Pleads Guilty To Endangering Minors, Had Ties To Hightstown

EAST WINDSOR, NJ — A former special education teacher and wrestling coach who used to work at a school in Hightstown, has pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and other offenses, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Daniel Plumacker of the Sayreville PD said.

John Denuto, 46, of Spotswood pled guilty on Friday, April 14 before judge Benjamin S. 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.

He formerly worked at Peddie High School in Hightstown.

Denuto is facing seven years in prison and will be on parole supervision for life and must register under Megan’s Law, Ciccone said. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2023.

A former special education teacher at the Sayreville Middle School and former wrestling coach at several other schools and organizations in Central Jersey, Denuto exploited his position to meet and abuse his victims, Ciccone said.

He was initially arrested on February 15, 2020. Denuto had criminal sexual contact with a juvenile and he possessed child sexual exploitive materials that he created by filming and photographing the juvenile, according to investigation. Further investigation revealed that Denuto was in possession of additional sexual exploitive material of unidentified individuals, Ciccone said.

On April 22, 2021, Denuto was indicted on one count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, three counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, eight counts of third-degree invasion of privacy, six counts of third-degree aggravated Criminal sexual contact, six counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, two counts of third-degree witness tampering, and one count of third-degree hindering his own apprehension.

Below is a list of schools, organizations, and clubs that the investigation revealed Denuto to be associated with:

• Rhino's Wrestling Club - Morganville
• CJA Wrestling Club - East Brunswick
• Pennsville High School - Pennsville
• Raritan High School - Hazlet Township
• Saint John Vianney - Holmdel
• Sayreville Middle School - Sayreville
• Sayreville High School - Sayreville
• Middletown North High School - Middletown Township
• Monroe High School - Monroe
• Peddie High School - Hightstown
• South Brunswick High School - South Brunswick
• Saint Joseph High School - Montvale
• Union County College - Cranford
• Camden Catholic High School - Cherry Hill
• Johnson High School - Clark
• St. Thomas Aquinas High School (formerly Bishop Ahr HS) - Edison
• Woodbridge High School - Woodbridge
• 7th & 8th Woodbridge Recreation Program - Woodbridge
• 7th & 8th Grade Old Bridge Recreation Program - Old Bridge
• Piscataway High School - Piscataway
• Spotswood High School - Spotswood
• Freehold Boro High School - Freehold Borough

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