Sayreville Football Players Charged With Hazing, Sex Assault Won't Be Tried As Adults

The cases of seven Sayreville Memorial High School football players accused of sexual assault in a series of hazing incidents will go before a Family Court judge, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced on Monday.

They will not be tried as adults, Carey said.

“The conduct in which the juvenile defendants engaged was serious and that is why criminal charges were filed,” Carey said in a statement issued on Monday. “The appropriate forum for the resolution of these cases is Middlesex County Family Court. Asking the court to waive these seven juvenile cases to adult court would not best serve the interests of the victims, the community, or the defendants.”

The defendants, who range in age from 15 to 17, are charged with holding four victims “against their will” while other juvenile defendants “improperly touched the juvenile victims” during four separate incidents between Sept. 19 and 29.

It is also alleged that one of the victims was kicked during an attack.

Three of the juvenile defendants are charged with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, conspiracy to commit aggravated criminal sexual contact, criminal restraint, and hazing for engaging in an act of sexual penetration upon one of the juvenile victims.

One of those juvenile defendants and the remaining four juvenile defendants were charged with various counts including aggravated assault, conspiracy, aggravated criminal sexual contact, hazing and riot by participating in the attack of the remaining victims.

The complaints signed against the players are not public record and their identities are being withheld because of their ages.

The defendants remain under house arrest and in the custody of their parents.

Monday’s decision was announced to defense attorneys on Monday. Under law, such hearings are closed to the public.

Allegations arose earlier this season prior to the football team’s scheduled game against South Brunswick. That game was cancelled.

Shortly thereafter, the rest of the season was cancelled for a program that has won state championships three of the last four seasons.

The head coach and four assistants have been suspended as a result of the allegations.