New Jersey School Teacher Sexually Assaults 2 Students, Arrested

A former school teacher in New Jersey was arrested Sunday for sexually assaulting two juveniles who were his students.

Prosecutors said Sunday that the accused, identified as 42-year-old Carlos A. Franco-Leon, sexually assaulted two minor female students during his tenure both as a teacher and volleyball coach at Morris Catholic High School, Denville. Officials said it happened "on various occasions between 2015 and 2019."

The accused also reportedly continued his assault on the minors even after he resigned and moved to another school in 2018. The teacher met one of the girls at the Ramada Hotel in Rockaway Township and engaged in sexual acts with the other girl in the classroom. Both girls were reported to be aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the alleged abuse.

According to the police reports, the accused and one of the students exchanged graphic text messages on Snapchat. He is also accused of allegedly sending her nude photos and a sex toy with a note that said, "I love you baby."

The accused told police that he did so because he had developed an emotional connection with one of the girls. The relationship with the victim started after a volleyball game in 2015.

He was working at Roselle Catholic High School in Union County when he was arrested and has since been suspended from school.

Franco-Leon was charged with six first-degree counts of aggravated sexual assault, two counts of second-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor. He was being held in the Morris County Jail pending a court appearance. Anyone with information relating to Franco-Leon's activities were requested to call the Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6200 or the Denville Police Department at 973-627-4900.