By: Yuritza Arroyo
Authorities in Monmouth County announced that an Ocean County man who had worked as a youth gymnastics coach in several locations across Monmouth County for approximately 30 years has been arrested and criminally charged with committing sexual offenses against three of the athletes he coached while they were juveniles.
According to officials, Sasha C. Raught, 55, of Manchester Township, is charged with first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault and three counts of second-degree Sexual Assault.
Officials say an investigation by members of the MCPO Special Victims Bureau revealed that Raught entered into sexual relationships with three of his former athletes when they were each teenagers.
The first two alleged instances took place when he was employed at Shrewsbury Gymnastics during the early to mid-1990s, while the third instance took place in 2008 while he was employed at Jonas Gymnastics Academy in Marlboro.
According to authorities, Raught was arrested at his home without incident late last month by members of the Prosecutor’s Office and the Manchester and Shrewsbury Police Departments, then lodged in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) pending a detention hearing tentatively scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 7 in Monmouth County Superior Court.
The State has filed a motion to keep Raught detained as the criminal case against him proceeds.