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Stephen M. Kovacs, 49, was indicted this month on two counts each of sexual assault endangering the welfare of a child, and false swearing, the outlet says citing attorney Jim Wronko.
Kovacs, of Watchung and formerly Clifton, apparently died over the weekend, Wronko said. The cause of death was not released.
The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office did not immediately return Daily Voice's request for comment placed Wednesday morning. The Somerset County Sheriff's Office could not immediately be reached by NJ.com and the State Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to the outlet's request for comment.
An investigation into Kovacs began when a 16-year-old girl reported being sexually assaulted by him in Bridgewater in August and September 2021, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said.
Then, a 19-year-old woman said she was also sexually assaulted by Kovacs when she was 18, between January and December 2020, authorities said.
Kovacs was arrested on Oct. 13, 2021 at the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office by detectives from the Sex Crimes/Child Abuse Unit without incident.
A subsequent follow-up investigation determined that Kovacs gave false statements under oath during his detention hearing, according to Robertson.
Just three days after being released, Kovacs was arrested at his home without incident by members of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and charged with 4th-degree False Swearing. Kovacs was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Online records show that Kovacs was a fencing coach at Duke University and Medeo Fencing Club in Bridgewater. He fenced for Columbia University and was a national collegiate champion, the New York Times reports. According to Kovacs' LinkedIn page, he was the head fencing coach at Stevens Institute of Technology.
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