At least six members of the Sayreville High School football team were taken into custody by police this evening on charges in connection with a series of locker room sexual assaults on four victims, NJ Advance Media has learned.
A seventh player was charged, but not immediately taken into custody. He was being sought by police.
The detentions — on a night the team was scheduled to play Monroe High School for its homecoming game on its home field — came less than a week after its season was abruptly canceled by school officials in the wake of allegations of what was first called “serious bullying and harassment” of younger players.
The parent of one victim later described what occurred as a violent ritual involving anal sexual attacks by seniors who routinely preyed on freshmen.
The players taken into custody — who ranged in age from 15 to 17 — were at home with parents or guardians when police arrived, law enforcement sources told NJ Advance Media. Those sources, who were familiar with the arrests, asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
The charges were brought by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s office, which confirmed the detentions after they were first reported on NJ.com.
According to Prosecutor Andrew Carey, three were 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 defendants and four others were charged with various counts including aggravated assault, conspiracy, aggravated criminal sexual contact, hazing and riot by participating in the attack of some of the victims.
According to the complaints filed in the matter, one or more of the players held victims against their will, while others improperly touched victims in a sexual manner. In one case, one of the victims was kicked during an attack, said the prosecutor's office.
Prosecutors said the events took place in four separate incidents at Sayreville War Memorial High School, between Sept. 19 and Sept. 29.
Aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree crime and even a juvenile would face up to five years of incarceration if found guilty. A prosecutor would also have the option of seeking to charge any of those arrested as adults, when they might face substantially more prison time, leave them with criminal records, and require their registration as sexual offenders.
Because they are all under the age of 18, the names of those taken into custody are not expected to be released.
Police were seen arriving at the home of team captain Myles Hartsfield, a 6-foot, 190-pound running back and free safety, a senior who is committed to Penn State, but it is not known if he was charged.
Three police officers also arrived at the home of Dylan Thillet, another team captain who is also a senior and plays guard and defensive end. They spent several minutes knocking on the door and circling the house with a flashlight. No lights in the home were on and no one answered the door.
At the Sayreville police station, three women wearing team sweatshirts declined to comment. Another woman walked in to headquarters and pulled her blue hooded sweatshirt around her face as she left 45 minutes later. She shook her head at photographers and said, “Awful, awful.” When asked by a reporter if she was referring to the media or the situation inside the police station, she replied “All of it.”
All those in custody were being detained pending a Family Court decision on whether they will be held at a detention facility pending a court hearing, or be released to the custody of their parents or guardians until that hearing is scheduled. Juvenile hearings are not open to the public.
No coaches or anyone in a supervisory role were charged.
Sources said the charges against the players were unrelated to the drug case that surfaced last month involving an assistant Sayreville coach charged with possession of steroids.
Reached Friday night, Sen. Joseph Vitale, (D-Middlesex), whose district includes Sayreville, said: "This is beyond bullying — this is sexual assault and it should be treated as if it were. If these were acts against girls many people would be taking a different attitude. We have to grow up and treat boys as if it were girls being assaulted."
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