North Jersey Teacher Paid Teen Boy For Sexually Explicit Images: Authorities

A Bridgewater High School teacher was arrested Tuesday and charged with enticement of a minor for allegedly having a sexually explicit online affair with a teen boy in 2014, United States Attorney Paul Fishman announced.

David Adams, 29, of Branchburg was formally charged with one count of online enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and was detained without bail, Fishman said.

The alleged incidents took place from June 2014 to September 2014 while Adams was living in Morris County and teaching at Eisenhower Middle School in Roxbury, Fishman said.

Adams allegedly met the victim through an online gaming community and the two communicated through text and video chats. Adams then began offering to send payments to the alleged victim in return for sexually explicit images, as well as live video chat sessions, where Adams would direct the teen’s actions, Fishman said.

According to the complaint, the alleged victim was 13 at the time, but told Adams the age was 14.

The complaint states the alleged victim did in fact send sexually explicit images of himself to Adams and engaged in sexually explicit conduct in live Skype sessions with Adams. On or about Sept. 3, 2014, Fishman said, Adams directed the teen to masturbate during a video chat on Skype. Adams sent a text to the victim, stating, “can u do it in the bathroom with the cam steady? Its really fuzzy when it moves,” and “i cant wait to see u strip, nice and slow – tease lol.”

Authorities claim in an affidavit that Adams knew the alleged victim was a minor based on discussions regarding the teen’s braces, school starting, and the alleged victim’s parents finding out about the communication, Fishman said.

When Adams was made aware of the alleged victim’s parents learning of the relationship, the teacher texted to the teen, “sorry if I got u in trouble.”

A search warrant was executed Sept. 15 at Adams’s Branchburg residence where computer equipment was located containing information connecting the teacher to the teen, Fishman said.

Adams allegedly offered the teen anywhere between $5 and $25 increments for the images and video sessions via PayPal, Fishman said.

Bridgewater-Raritan School District Superintendent Victor Hayek released a statement Wednesday morning, telling the community:

“It is with disappointment that I inform you of the arrest of one of our high school music teachers, Mr. David Adams. He has been formally charged with a crime stemming from incidents prior to his employment in Bridgewater-Raritan. As a result, he is suspended from his position in Bridgewater-Raritan pending further investigation. Law enforcement authorities have informed us that this is an ongoing investigation; however, none of the charges involve any of our students at this time.”

The charge of online enticement comes with a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison with a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.