High school sports coach in South Jersey charged with sexual assault of student
Joel Deanley Jr., 26, worked at Timber Creek High School in Gloucester Township in Camden County.
A 26-year-old sports coach at a Gloucester Township high school was charged with having illegal sexual contact with a student, Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay said Thursday.
Joel Deanley Jr., of Gloucester Township, worked at Timber Creek High School, where he was an assistant coach for girls spring track, as well as head coach for boys and girls winter track and an assistant coach for football, MacAulay said.
In a statement on Thursday, the Black Horse Pike Regional School District said that it was cooperating with authorities in the case.
“The employee has been immediately removed from all duties involving students and barred from all District property,” the district said.
Deanley was charged with three counts of second-degree sexual assault and three counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, MacAulay said.
He was taken into custody on Wednesday and was being held at the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing.
On Tuesday, Gloucester Township police notified the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit that a female student at the high school “reported having a sexual relationship with Deanley,” the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office said.
Detectives determined that Deanley and the student were involved in illegal sexual contact between June and August, MacAulay said.
The student was the only victim identified in the case, but the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office will investigate any additional allegations, MacAulay said.
Anyone with information related to the case may call Detective Todd Jarrell of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit at 856-225-8479 or Detective Daniel Szovati of the Gloucester Township Police Department at 856-228-4500 at extension 3215. Tips can also be sent to CAMDEN.TIPS.
