38°
Ryan Gunsauls, 32, of Union Beach, was arrested in Hazlet on Friday, May 11, The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced his arrest in a news release issued Tuesday, May 14.
Investigators said one boy told police earlier in May that Gunsauls had been sending him "sexually explicit materials" and asking for them on social media. More victims between 11 and 17 years old were identified and interviewed.
Prosecutors said Gunsauls sent sexual pictures to eight student-athletes he coached and had "sexually explicit conversations" with them. He was also accused of inappropriately touching two of the children.
Gunsauls was charged with eight counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, eight counts of third-degree distributing obscene materials to a minor, two counts of second-degree attempted endangering, two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child via distribution of child sexual abuse materials and third-degree possession of child sexual abuse materials.
Gunsauls was held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution. He was scheduled for a detention hearing on Monday, May 20.
Gunsauls is listed as a volunteer firefighter for Union Beach Fire Company No. 1 and a dispatcher for the borough's police department. He graduated from the Monmouth County Fire Academy in May 2010.
Anyone with information about Gunsauls should call the county prosecutor's office at 800-533-7443.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Highland Lakes-Vernon and receive free news updates.
