MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Chief Rudolph Appelmann of the Montville Township Police Department announce that Jason Fennes, 42, of Bloomfield, was sentenced by the Honorable Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.Cr., to 14 years in New Jersey State Prison, subject to the No Early Release Act, Parole Supervision for Life and Megan’s Law.
The Defendant pleaded guilty on September 22, 2016 to two counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault, crimes of the first degree in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(a)1 and N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(a)2(b), and three counts of Sexual Assault, in violation of N.J.S 2C:14-2(b), crimes of the second degree.
The crimes committed by Defendant came to light in December 2011 when a 13-year-old female reported that she had been sexually abused by Defendant when she was a student in his first grade class at William Mason School in Montville. Defendant was arrested on this charge on March 2, 2012. Thereafter, three additional victims disclosed that they had been sexually assaulted by Defendant while students in his first grade class in William Mason School. The assaults on the victims at the William Mason School occurred between 2005 and 2008. A fourth victim also came forward and reported that she had been sexually assaulted by Defendant when she was 14 years old and Defendant was her track coach at Butler High School during the 1996-1997 school year.
At the time of the plea, Defendant admitted in court to acts of sexual penetration with two victims and acts of sexual contact with the remaining three. All acts occurred while he was in a supervisory position, either as a track coach or a teacher.
Defendant has also pled guilty in Somerset County to a separate count of Sexual Assault upon a child. He is pending sentencing on that matter, which is being prosecuted by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.
Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Meg Rodriguez represented the State in these proceedings.
Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Montville Township Police Department, specifically Captain Andrew Caggiano and Sergeant Christopher Keezer, as well as the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit for their combined efforts in this matter.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office encourages anyone with additional information related to these allegations and/or this Defendant to contact Lieutenant Steven Brylinski of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit at (973) 285-6200.
