Ex-Toms River Music Teacher Accused Of Child Pornography Distribution

FREEHOLD, NJ — A Monmouth County man who was a teacher in the Toms River Regional School District has been charged with distributing child sexual abuse materials, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced.

Christopher A. DeCesare, 31, who was a music teacher and the orchestra director at Toms River Intermediate South, was charged with one count of second-degree distribution of child sexual abuse materials and was arrested Aug. 29, Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said.

"The teacher in question did not teach during this 2024-2025 school year, and is no longer employed with the district," Michael Kenny, a district spokesman, said via email.

"We were not notified of any issue with Toms River students or the community," Superintendent Michael Citta said.

It was not clear when DeCesare's employment ended. He was on a list of teachers approved in June by the Toms River Regional Board of Education for a stipend for summer instruction. Citta said the district was notified the day DeCesare was arrested.

DeCesare, who lives in Matawan, is accused of sending child sex abuse images to other people via social media and he also was receiving images via his personal email, authorities said.

He was arrested after Monmouth County authorities investigated a tip that was received from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children from a social media platform. He was arrested by members of the prosecutor's office, Search Warrant Execution Team (SWET), and the Matawan Police Department and taken to the Monmouth County jail, but has since been released.

Authorities did not specify which social media platform was being used.

DeCesare was hired by the Toms River Regional Schools in 2020 and his salary was $56,228 in 2022, the most recent figure available online.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Anthony Lacher at 800-533-7443.

NOTE: This article has been updated to reflect DeCesare is no longer employed with the Toms River Regional Schools, based on a comment from the district.