A paraprofessional with the New Brunswick school system has been charged with engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct with a 13-year-old female student.
Eugene Colbert, 31, of South River, who is an athletic coach for the school district, was charged on March 19 with aggravated sexual assault in the first degree, sexual assault in the second degree, endangering the welfare of a child in the second degree, aggravated criminal sexual contact in the third degree, and engaging in criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree, according to information provided by Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Director Anthony Caputo of the New Brunswick Police Department.
Colbert was charged during an investigation by Detective Bill Coleman of the New Brunswick Police Department and Detective Oscar Ayala of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation determined that from November 2018 through March 2019, the defendant allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with the student when the victim was 13 years of age, while on school property during school hours, according to the statement.
New Brunswick school officials reportedly initially failed to notify law enforcement of the criminal activity as is required by the Uniform State Memorandum of Agreement Between Education and Law Enforcement Officials, according to the statement.
During the time when the criminal conduct occurred, Colbert had supervisory and disciplinary power over the victim by virtue of his employment as a paraprofessional as well as coaching staff for the victim’s school, according to the statement. He has been dismissed from the New Brunswick school system where he was employed since 2009.
He is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick pending his initial court appearance today.
Anyone with information should call Coleman at 732-745-5200 or Ayala at 732-745-4045.