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The suits were filed in Union and Hudson Superior Courts against Robert Goodlin, who is incarcerated at the Adult Diagnostic Treatment Center in Avenel.
In 2019, Goodlin was convicted of sexually assaulting a pair of students at Battin Middle School in Elizabeth, where he taught from 1993 to 2004.
Two of the latest suits come from former Elizabeth students, while seven were students in Secaucus -- where Goodlin taught in the 1980s, NJ.com says.
“Since 2013, we always believed there were more victims; however, it was not until the last few years that we learned just how many children were groomed and abused by Goodlin,” the victims' attorney Brian Schiller said in a statement to NJ.com.
Goodlin was sentenced to three years in state prison in 2019. He applied for early release last year due to COVID-19 but was denied twice, NJ.com says. He will be eligible for parole on Dec. 6.
A group of individuals alleging abuse by Goodlin have banned together to form a group, "Goodlin Survivors."
"This survivor group was established to pursue justice for the crimes that Goodlin committed and to prevent predators from sexually abusing children in the future," the group's website reads.
"Since 2013, fourteen men have had the courage to come forward in the pursuit of justice and the prevention of child sexual abuse.
The first victim to come forward reached a settlement with the Elizabeth Board of Education for $600,000, and obtained a jury verdict against Goodlin for $1.125 million.
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