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Edward Giles, 61, was arrested in 2019 following a seven-month investigation that found several of the incidents occurred at the officer's West 4th Avenue home in Roselle, according to SVU Director and Union County Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Lawlor, who is prosecuting the case.
Giles, a 30-year veteran of the East Orange Police Department, served as a community resource officer and youth football director for the East Orange Police Athletic League (PAL).
The initial investigation revealed that the first victim, a student-athlete playing for the East Orange Wildcats youth football team then coached by Giles, was assaulted on several occasions from 1998 into 2000, when he was between 11 and 13 years old, Lawlor said. The second victim, also a youth football player, was allegedly assaulted from 2002 into 2003, when he was between 12 and 13 years old.
Following the execution of a search warrant at Giles’ home, forensic analysis of recovered recorded materials resulted in the addition of several charges. The recordings were made between April 2018 and October 2019, when the victims were between the ages of 13 and 15 years old.
Giles was charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault of a child, two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault of a child victim over whom the defendant had supervisory or disciplinary power, five counts of various second-degree sexual offenses against a child victim, four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child by photographing or videotaping child in a prohibited sexual act, and three counts of third-degree invasion of privacy, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel said.
Anyone with additional information about Giles’ activities is urged to contact Union County Prosecutor’s Office Lieutenant Sofia Santos at 908-577-4256.
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