The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
A 52-year-old district paraprofessional and middle school wrestling coach was arrested December 17 on charges of possessing child pornography.
A search of electronic devices owned by the man, Nicholas Cringoli of Raritan, allegedly revealed “numerous images depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of a child,” according to a press release from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.
Cringoli was charged with with 2nd Degree Endangering the Welfare of Child for the possession of items depicting the sexual exploitation and/or abuse of a child, according to the release.
Cringoli is a district paraprofessional and wrestling coach at Franklin Middle School – Sampson G. Smith campus.
In a December 18 letter to parents, schools Superintendent John Ravally said that it did not appear that the charges are connected to the school, although the investigation is continuing.
“We are unable to discuss the specifics of the allegations against this individual,” Ravally wrote in the letter. “As this is a personnel and legal matter, no district employee can comment on the allegations or
the individual who has been arrested. We ask our staff and other members of the school
community to be mindful of this and not discuss this matter.”
The investigation into Cringoli began when detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit were notified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of an apparent upload of images of child exploitation or abuse of a child, according to the release.
The Computer Crimes Unit then started an investigation and determined that Cringoli may have possessed “numerous images of child sexual abuse material,” according to the release.
A search warrant was executed on Cringoli’s home at about 6:15 a.m. on December 17, when the devices were seized, the release said.
Cringoli was initial detained at the Somerset County Jail in Somerville, then transferred to the Morris County Correctional Facility in Morris Township, from where he was released, according to court records.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Raritan Borough Police Department at (908) 725-6700 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.
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