Ex-Sayreville Teacher, Wrestling Coach Gets 7 Years in Prison

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — A former Sayreville special education teacher and wrestling coach has been sentenced to seven years in state prison after he pleaded guilty to child endangerment for crimes involving sexual misconduct with youngsters.

Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Thomas Abode sentenced 47-year-old John Denuto to seven years behind bars and a $3,000 fine on Thursday, Aug. 8th. Once released, Denuto must be on lifetime parole supervision and register as a sex offender under the state’s Megan’s Law, the judge ordered.

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Denuto’s defense attorney, Eric W. Feinberg from Mount Holly, asked Judge Abode to impose a five-year prison term. But, the judge opted for seven-years, citing “aggravating factors” in the case.

Sentencing comes nearly 16 months after Denuto pleaded guilty in April 2023 to one count of endangering the welfare of a child; a third-degree child endangerment charge; and one count of invasion of privacy. The charges involve sexual misconduct with underage victims, including a 15-year-old former student.

As part of the plea deal with the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the county set aside 24 other criminal charges for which Denuto was indicted by a state grand jury.

In 2021, that grand jury initially indicted Denuto on four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, eight counts of invasion of privacy, six counts of aggravated criminal sexual contact; six counts of criminal sexual contact, two counts of witness tampering, and hindering his own apprehension. That indictment alleged his criminal sexual misconduct, between 2015 and 2019, with at least seven youngsters.

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Based on an investigation by Middlesex County and Sayreville police detectives, working with local police in Middlesex, Union and other counties, Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Carver accused Denuto of exploiting his job as a teacher and wrestling coach to meet and abuse underage victims.

Denuto was employed as a special-ed teacher and coach at Sayreville War Memorial High School, the local middle school. He was also a wrestling coach for many other schools and wrestling clubs in East Brunswick, Edison, Piscataway, South Brunswick, Spotswood, and Woodbridge; and at wrestling clubs and recreation programs locally and elsewhere.

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