Matthew Swajkowski, the former Verona High School teacher who was arrested last September and charged with sexual assault on a minor, appeared in court on Thursday, February 9. The appearance at the Essex County Courthouse in Newark had been delayed multiple times without explanation.
Swajkowski, who has been held in the Essex County Correctional Facility since his arrest, was represented by Kevin Sisco of Ricci & Fava. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (ECPO), which carried out the arrest after an investigation by the Verona Police Department, was represented by Assistant Prosecutor Sherry Stembridge.
Judge Carolyn Wright questioned both Stembridge and Sisco on the state of discovery in the case, and seemed frustrated with the slow pace of progress. She also asked Sisco why he had filed a motion to appeal Swajkowski’s indictment. If that were confirmed, Swajkowski would lose all further credit for time served when a sentence is handed down. Sisco has not returned a call for comment on his action.
The judge asked both lawyers about the state of conversations about a plea. Sisco indicated that they had begun negotiations, with Stembridge categorizing it as an eight-year sentence, a requirement to register as a sex offender under New Jersey’s Megan’s Law and the loss of Swajkowski’s teaching license.
Judge Wright then gave the lawyers a Monday, April 1, deadline for a plea presentation. An ECPO spokesman declined to give any additional information, saying only “it’s an open investigation.”
According to the original ECPO statement on Swajkowski’s arrest, the 12 charges against him include sexual conduct with a minor and purposely or knowingly offering or serving or making available an alcoholic beverage to a person under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages.
Defendants in any matter reported on in MyVeronaNJ are presumed innocent until they enter a guilty plea or are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
