A custodian employed by a North Jersey school district has been arrested and charged in connection with the sexual assault of a minor, authorities said.
Scott Volpe, 39, of Ringwood, was taken into custody on March 12 following an investigation by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors allege that between January and February, Volpe sexually assaulted a child between the ages of 13 and 15 at a home in nearby West Milford.
Volpe faces multiple charges, including first-degree aggravated sexual assault, manufacturing child pornography, and endangering the welfare of a child. If convicted, he could face decades in prison.
He is currently being held at the Passaic County Jail pending further court proceedings.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed Volpe’s employment, but reports indicate he worked as a custodian for the Lakeland Regional School District in Wanaque. Superintendent Hugh Beattie acknowledged in a letter to families that a district employee had been arrested in connection with a crime involving a minor in another town.
Following Volpe’s arrest, Lakeland Regional High School was searched for hidden cameras, prompting a midday shelter-in-place on March 8. No cameras were found, but some parents criticized the timing of the sweep, arguing that it added to students’ distress.
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