Crime & Safety
Judge Could Rule On Paramus Catholic Sex Charges
Two former Paramus Catholic High School employees could learn on Monday whether they can be charged by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office with sexual misconduct.
A Superior Court judge could decide on Monday if two former Paramus Catholic High School employees can be charged by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office for alleged sexual misconduct during a 2010 trip the men chaperoned to Germany.
, three teenage girls alleged Artur Sopel of River Edge and Michael Sumulikoski of Elmwood Park engaged in sexual conduct with them during a school trip in February 2010. Two were current students, one was a former student.
The pair was arrested and pled following their arrest. They were on 25 counts, including five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and 12 counts of sexual assault for Sopel.
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Sopel, who served as vice president of operations at Paramus Catholic High School, is also charged with two counts of witness tampering.
The charges against Sumilikoski—a substitute teacher and assistant football coach at the school— include three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and three counts of sexual assault.
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Defense attorneys for Sumulikoski and Sopel have argued the county does not have jurisdiction over an alledged incident that occured overseas, while the prosecution maintains they can charge both men because they were granted supervisory authority as trip chaperones in the state of New Jersey.
Superior Court Judge James Guida, sitting in Hackensack, is expected to rule on the matter on Monday.
Paramus Patch will have more details during the week as they become available.
