Triton Teachers Plead Guilty to Sex Scandal Charges

Update, 6:20 p.m.: 

------------------

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:

• 'Foundation Jeopardized': School District Responds to Guilty Pleas
• BHPRSD Board Moves to Take Suspended Triton Educators' Pay
• Suspended Triton Educators Still Drawing Paychecks?
• School District Hires PR Firm in Wake of Triton Sex Scandal
• District, Superintendent Issue Statements on Triton Sex Scandal
• 'Shocked,' 'Astonished' Triton Students React to Sex Scandal
• [UPDATE] Triton Teachers Under Investigation

Get breaking news immediately by signing up for Patch's alerts.