Two Sayreville football players cleared of serious charges in hazing case
Two Sayreville football players have been cleared of all serious charges in the school's hazing case, their lawyers told The New York Times.
Sayreville's 2014 football season was canceled after seven players were arrested and charged with numerous crimes stemming from allegations of hazing rituals against freshman players inside the high school's locker room.
The two players who were cleared of serious charges had been charged with aggravated sexual contact and aggravated assault, among other crimes, according to the Times. They were 17 at the time of the incident and were tried as juveniles.
A lawyer told The Times that the two were found guilty of “two disorderly persons charges stemming from their locker-room conduct.”
Three players in all were charged with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, conspiracy to commit aggravated criminal sexual contact, criminal restraint and hazing for engaging in an act of sexual penetration upon one of the juvenile victims.
One of those three players and the remaining four were charged with various counts, including aggravated assault, conspiracy, aggravated criminal sexual contact, hazing and riot by participating in the attack of the remaining victims.
A lawyer for one of the players cleared of serious charges told The Times that the other five players had their cases “resolved largely in their favor.” Since the the players were tried as juveniles, their records are sealed.
Sayreville announced in January that football will return for the 2015 season.
