Hoboken Coach Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Boys

A Hoboken charter school administrative assistant and athletic director was sentenced to 20 years in a state psychological hospital for sexually assaulting five Hudson County boys over the course of three decades, reports say.

John Mercado, 54, of Jersey City, was also a longtime youth baseball coach in Jersey City, CBS New York reports. Prior to working at Elysian Charter School in Hoboken, Mercado (pictured below) taught computer classes at Hoboken Catholic Academy from 1998 to 2004, according to NJ.com.

Hudson County prosecutors stated to NJ.com that the last case of sexual assault occurred between 2004 and 2006. The victims were between the ages of 10 and 13 at the time of assault.

Mercado received the maximum sentence under his plea deal from a Hudson County Superior Court Judge on Jan. 8, who stated that Mercado pursued coaching and teaching positions that would allow him access to young victims, NJ.com reported.

Despite racking up individual charges totaling more than 100 years, Mercado will be eligible for parole after serving just 17 years in a state psychological hospital, the Jersey Journal reported. Mercado’s victims could not face attending the sentencing.

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