Guilty plea entered by former N.B. teacher
Matthew Engelson charged with child endangerment
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer
Aformer teacher at North Brunswick Township High School pleaded guilty to a charge related to endangering the welfare of a child on Sept. 26 in N.J. Superior Court, New Brunswick.

Matthew Engelson

Matthew Engelson, 31, of Lawrenceville, a former psychology teacher and girls junior varsity soccer coach, entered a plea of guilty to a one-count accusation charge, prior to grand jury presentation, charging him with the second degree offense of endangering the welfare of a child, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan.

Engelson faces a maximum of five years' incarceration. As part of the plea, Engelson agreed to surrender his teaching certificate and will have no contact with the victim, according to the press release.

Engelson was initially arrested on Dec. 13, 2007, on charges of sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old student. High school officials had notified the township police department that Engelson was exchanging sexually explicit instant messages with a student by way of computer, according to a release from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office in December, although school officials would not comment if the computer was a personal one or one owned by the school.

The investigation established that the conversations began in October, and at some point communication by way of cell phone began. The two are believed to have engaged in a sexual act in early December, according to the release.

Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2009, before Judge Dennis Nieves.

Engelson remains free on $150,000 bail.