51°
A grand jury indicted 32-year-old Ryan Gunsauls of Union Beach on 30 counts, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Tuesday, Aug. 14. He was previously arrested in the case in Hazlet on Friday, May 11.
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. Eight more victims between 11 and 17 years old were identified and interviewed.
Prosecutors said Gunsauls sent sexual pictures to nine student-athletes he coached and had "sexually explicit conversations" with them. He was also accused of inappropriately touching two of the children.
Gunsauls was indicted for four counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child by manufacturing child sexual abuse material, four counts of second-degree attempted endangering via manufacture of child sexual abuse material, four counts of second-degree attempted endangering via manufacture of child sexual abuse material, eight counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child via sexual conduct, nine counts of third-degree distributing obscene materials to a minor, two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child via distribution of child sexual abuse materials, third-degree endangering via sexual conduct, and third-degree possession of child sexual abuse materials.
In May, a judge ordered Gunsauls to remain detained at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution.
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 Hopewell-Pennington and receive free news updates.
