Ex-teacher gets 10-year prison term
SPARTA. Michael Wagner was accused of illegally recording students while teaching at Pope John XXIII and Reverend Brown schools.
Sparta /
| 15 Nov 2024 | 11:41
Michael Wagner, 41, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with charges that resulted from his illegal recording of students while teaching at Pope John XXIII and Reverend Brown schools.
On Friday, Nov. 15, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Michael Gaus ordered that he serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
The sentence includes the forfeiture of his New Jersey teaching license, parole supervision for life and required registration under Megan’s Law.
On May 10, he pleaded guilty to first-degree child endangerment and second-degree manufacturing of child sexual abuse.
A joint investigation by the Sparta Police Department Detective Bureau and Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit and High Tech Crimes Unit began Oct. 12, 2022, when a teacher at Pope John in Sparta overheard several students talking about their teacher, Wagner, recording them during class.
The investigation involved the forensic examination of Wagner’s cellular telephone, computers and hard drives, resulting in the recovery of hundreds of videos and photos he had taken of students without their knowledge or consent.
Detectives determined that Wagner possessed, viewed or had under his control items depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of children.