Edison, NJ – A teacher and coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Axel Palomares, 50, of Morristown, has been arrested and charged with four counts of child sex crimes, some of which are alleged to have occurred on school grounds.
Palomares was taken into custody without incident at his home on May 27. He faces charges of second-degree manufacturing of child sexual abuse material, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree possession of child sexual abuse material, and fourth-degree invasion of privacy. He is currently being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Facility pending a pre-trial detention hearing.
The charges against Palomares stem from an investigation conducted by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, following a cyber tip received from the New Jersey State Police.
According to a statement from the Diocese of Metuchen, the administration of St. Thomas Aquinas High School cooperated fully with local, county, and state law enforcement in the investigation, which included a search of the school on May 27. Law enforcement officials informed the diocese that St. Thomas Aquinas High School is among the locations where the alleged crimes took place.
The diocese stated that a preliminary review of Palomares’ employment records revealed no prior indications of concern. He had undergone the required criminal background checks and was up-to-date and in compliance with all mandated policies and training requirements from both the school and the diocese.
In a statement, the Diocese of Metuchen expressed profound distress, saying, “We are devastated to learn that some of our students’ privacy may have been violated by this sickening conduct. The safety of our students is always a top priority of St. Thomas Aquinas High School and the Diocese of Metuchen. The actions of this individual, if true, are a betrayal of the trust of our students, faculty, and administration.”
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact Detective Ken McGarry of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3140.
