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Triton Teachers Plead Guilty to Sex Scandal Charges

Teachers Jeffrey Logandro and Daniel Michielli both entered pleas to a downgraded charge in court Monday in Camden. They'll be sentenced to short jail stays or house arrest next month.

 

Update, 6:20 p.m.: Triton Teachers Plead Guilty, Face 30 Days Jail or House Arrest

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Two Triton teachers and a principal implicated in either participating in or covering up relationships between the teachers and students entered guilty pleas today in Camden.

Teachers Jeffrey Logandro and Daniel Michielli pleaded guilty to one third-degree conspiracy to commit official misconduct. They'll be sentenced March 15 and both face a 30-day jail sentence served in county jail, at home or through another jail program. The state did not object to home electronic monitoring in lieu of jail.

Suspended Triton principal Catherine DePaul also pleaded guilty to a disorderly persons offense for failure to report to law enforcement allegations of child abuse or neglect. She was immediately sentenced to one year of probation and forfeited her right to hold public positions in the future.

Three Triton Regional High School teachers and two administrators were suspended with pay after the scandal broke in October 2012. Logandro and Michielli were charged with varying degrees of inappropriate contact with students; teacher Nicholas Martinelli is charged with official misconduct. 

DePaul and Triton vice principal Jernee Kollock, who allegedly knew about the teachers' relationships with the students, but did not report them to authorities, also were charged. 

Kollock and Martinelli did not enter pleas Monday. Their cases appear headed to the grand jury.

The alleged sexual relationships between teachers and students took place between November 2011 and June 2012, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Logandro and Michielli's victims were 17 at the time. Both men originally were charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and official misconduct and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. Michielli faced an additional count of second-degree sexual assault.

Both DePaul and Kollock were also charged with second-degree official misconduct, and a disorderly persons offense of failing to report the teachers' misconduct.

The penalties could have been much stiffer for Logandro and Michielli especially. Each second-degree crime carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

This is a developing story with live updates. Stay with Patch for additional info. 

For all of Gloucester Township Patch's coverage on the Triton charges, visit Patch's Triton Teacher-Student Sex Scandal page.

For more on the Triton teacher-student sex charges, also see:

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Related Topics: Black Horse Pike Regional School District, Camden County Prosecutor's Office, Catherine DePaul, Daniel Michielli, Jeffrey Logandro, Jernee Kollock, Nicholas Martinelli, Teachers sex with students, Triton High School sex scandal, and teacher-student sex case

Schu

5:01 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013

Slap on the wrist. The GT taxpayers that are going to fund DePaul pensions until her death. Thirty days in jail is nothing.

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Darryl Holmes

6:25 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013

Thats the least of the GT taxpayers problems they are paying the salary of a Superintendent that is as incompetent as I have ever seen in my life. Depaul informed him of the infractions of the teachers she gets charged and loses her job and he walks away unscathed... unbelievable, taxpayers should be calling for his resignation!

Darryl Holmes

6:25 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013

So where is the Superintendent JOHN GOLDEN in all of this why wasnt HE charged in the cover up he knew about it also sounds like the cover up went all the way to the top if your gonna report the story tell ALL of it!

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Schu

9:05 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013

We are left with a board that does not accept responsibility.

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Darryl Holmes

10:48 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013

Your as taxpayers of GT arent left with anything if you demand some answers and some accountability.

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Hadenough

8:32 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Where is GOLDEN???!! Why didnt he know about it...WHY HASNT HE COME FORWARD?? ALL THE TEACHERS KNEW AND NEVER SAID A WORD!! It took an outsider to call authorities!! This is a disgrace and and a slap on the wrist for all the teachers. Martinelli and Kolluck are cowards. I hope they get a harsher sentence for the arrogance and plain disregard for what they did. Are they above the law??

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Robert Maimone

8:32 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Another Slap on rist, Discusting that We got to for these pensions and perks, Shame on you Glou.Twnshp., Should have stayed in city, Wouldn't be paying out the wazzoo.

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Robert Maimone

8:32 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Board is Tainted and needs Updating, has been for tears. corupt just like in the City!

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Robert Maimone

8:32 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

What a Racket, Bunch of hoodlums run this board, no justice at all for the children!

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Robert Maimone

8:32 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Can't wait to get out of NJ, hopefully asap, as soon as property values goes up, can't even get our new accessed value that Doubled, STILL GETTING OUT OF THIS STATE.

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Susan Derrickson

8:32 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Why did they only get a slap on the wrist ? I hope at least they will never be able to work around kids of any age

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DevilMayhem666

10:54 am on Saturday, March 2, 2013

16 is the Age of Consent in NJ and this wasn't rape.

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DevilMayhem666

10:54 am on Saturday, March 2, 2013

Because the students were above the age of consent. It seems fair to me.

telepathy

4:39 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Tell me they don't keep their pensions. Tell me they don't keep their salaries. Tell me why Kollock and the other guy didn't accept responsibility. Does this mean they think they can beat the system with some trumped up excuses? Terrible, simply Terrible. We Need An EMERGENCY BOARD ELECTION TO REPLACE THESE GOONIES. WE NEED TO REPLACE THEM ALL INCLUDING GOLDEN AND HIS CREW.

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Schu

4:39 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

After hearing what others say, these guys got off easy with no jail time only probation. We the gt taxpayers got hosed ont hi case. My biggest disappointment is having to pay for depaul's pension while she sits on the beach at her shore house.

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Hadenough

6:03 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

The BHPSD is a DISGRACE! Parents received a letter from Triton/ Mr. GOLDEN stating that the kids are safe. Really?? NOW their safe??? WOW - Where were you, Mr. GOLDEN, when you were informed of this incident?? Oh, I see...no accountability!!! Let’s put the blame on those that YOU are suppose to SUPERVISE because, after all, Mr. GOLDEN – YOU are the superintendent. If DePaul and Golden actually DID their job, instead of taking matters into their own hands, and called the authorities , this would have NEVER escalated to what it is now. However, if this happened to one of the BOE's kid, you can bet you would see changes and fast. DISGRACEFUL, DISSAPOINTING AND AN EMBARRESSMENT.
From the words of the Judge Brown yesterday to Catherine DePaul:
Judge Brown:
"This is very disturbing. ... There is a bond between a teacher or principal or school staff, that person or persons, and the students," the judge said. "And it's a sacred bond. It is a bond of trust. It is a professional bond. And in many cases there is a personal bond. You have violated that trust and you have violated that bond. I'm sure that up until this point, your career has been stellar. Unfortunately, folks are going to remember this particular episode."

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Hadenough

6:03 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Kolluck- who changed the students statement and corrected the spelling (stellar!Triton education for you) and sugar coated the incident should have her license and all that she has worked for taken away. WHO DO THESE TEACHERS, VP AND PRINCIPLE AND BOE THINK THEY ARE?? NOT FOR THE KIDS, thats for sure. They are what we THE PEOPLE give them permission to be. No one takes a stand!! No one speaks out for these kids!! Can there really be good people in positions of authority ANYWHERE ???

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Darren Gladden

12:44 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013

I hear you but when you write "WHO DO THESE TEACHERS, VP AND PRINCIPLE AND BOE THINK THEY ARE?? NOT FOR THE KIDS, thats for sure. They are what we THE PEOPLE give them permission to be. No one takes a stand!! No one speaks out for these kids!! Can there really be good people in positions of authority ANYWHERE ???...................Post under a real name if you ASKING for people to stand up and fight cause what I have find out if you do STAND up and fight the system all they do is BEAT you down . ..........Just care , I do

Hadenough

6:03 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Mr.Martinelli - Take responsibility for your actions!!

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Pete Heinbaugh

7:46 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Maybe, as part of their plea agreements, Logandro, Michielli, and especially DePaul were made to tell the prosecutors who else knew about the misconduct and when they knew it.

Failure to report to law enforcement allegations of child abuse is a crime.

I wonder if there are still many more shoes to drop.

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Joe

12:44 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Maybe they just got a slap on the wrist because the un-named girls have some
responsibility in this also. They are not stupid, at thier age they knew exactly what they were doing. And if anyone goes to jail, then they're names need to be made public also, fair's, fair.

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