A New Jersey middle school teacher was arrested for reportedly possessing and distributing child pornography.
The suspect was identified as 48-year-old Matthew Serwedes, who was arrested on Tuesday at his Hillsborough home. Law enforcement personnel were also able to seize several electronic devices in the residence.
Child Sexual Abuse Materials
Serwedes is officially charged with second-degree distribution of child sexual abuse materials as well as third-degree possession of child sexual abuse materials. The suspect has been working as a multimedia teacher in the Clark Township School District for a long time and also served as a faculty advisor for kTV productions at Kumpf Middle School.
Following his arrest, Clark Township administrators revealed in a letter to the school community that Serwedes was immediately suspended from his job. According to NJ1015, police identified the middle school teacher following a cyber tipline report shared by the State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Law enforcement officials added that they had no reason to believe that the allegations against Serwedes involved any local students. Clark Schools Superintendent Edward Grande said that the district was willing to cooperate fully with law enforcement.
The suspect was held at the Somerset County Jail on Tuesday pending a detention hearing. Officials said that Kumpf Middle School serves roughly 530 students in grades 6 through 8 in Clark Township.
The second-degree charges against Serwedes could have him imprisoned in jail for five to 10 years. Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald said that a preliminary investigation did not reveal any threats or concerns to the suspect's students, My Central Jersey reported.
Investigation Into the Matter
Serwedes' records showed that the middle school teacher had an annual salary of $106,792 in 2023. When the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Special Investigations Unit started looking into the matter, they were able to identify the suspect as the one responsible for uploading and distributing the files that depicted the sexual abuse and/or exploitation of a minor.
Grande added that in addition to suspending Serwedes, arrangements were being made to ensure uninterrupted alternate coverage for the suspect's classes, as per NJ.
Officials are encouraging anyone with information about the case to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Special Investigations Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Hillsborough Township Police Department at (908) 369-4323 or via the STOPit app. They can also try to contact the Somerset County Crime Stoppers' Tine Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477).
