Jersey City Coach Charged With Criminal Sexual Conduct At State Track Meet

JERSEY CITY, NJ — The head coach of a girls' track team in Jersey City has been charged after authorities say he touched an athlete from another team inappropriately during an state track meet in Toms River, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Monday.

Thomas Downes, 61, of Jersey City, was charged Feb. 24 with criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child in an incident that happened Feb. 12, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

The NJSIAA indoor track and field sectional championships were held that weekend at the John Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex, according to the NJSIAA website. Teams from North Jersey Section 1, in Groups 1 and 4 (the smallest schools and the largest schools) competed the morning of Feb. 12, according to the website.

A girl told her coach that an adult man had approached her during the meet and touched her inappropriately, and the girl's coach contacted Toms River police, Billhimer said.

Toms River detectives and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit investigated and identified Downes as the man who had touched the girl, Billhimer said.

Billhimer said Downes was the head coach of a girls' track team at a high school in Jersey City at the time of the incident. He did not identify which school he was there with.

The website for New Jersey City University says he was a coach there and has been a coach and physical education teacher for the county's public high school, County Preparatory High School, for years.

Billhimer said Downes surrendered at Toms River police headquarters on Monday, was processed and released on a summons pending a future court appearance.

Anyone with additional information or who believes they may have been touched as well is asked to call Detective Alex Bromley of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, ext. 3271, or the Toms RiverTownship Police Department Detective Bureau at 732- 349-0150, ext. 1297, he said.

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office assisted with the investigation, Billhimer said.

Did you know? You can get a free daily newsletter each morning at 6 a.m. with local news in your Hudson County town, or breaking news: Sign up with your zip code here and you'll get an email asking for your preferences.

Get a free morning newsletter with news in any New Jersey town: https://patch.com/subscribe