By: Richard L. Smith
Favio Martell, a resident of Garfield, found himself in legal trouble after his arrest on September 6 for explicit contact with a minor.
The arrest follows an investigation carried out jointly by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the Paterson Police Department.
Passaic County officials said an investigation, initiated on September 1, 2023, was prompted by an alarming report from the Paterson Police Department.
They informed the Special Victims Unit Detectives that a 14-year-old student at the Paterson Arts & Sciences Charter School had received a sexually explicit photograph from Mr. Martell, who served as a teacher's aide and soccer coach at the school.
In light of these disturbing allegations, Mr. Martell has been charged with one count of third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
The gravity of this charge carries a sentencing exposure of three to five years in New Jersey State Prison.
Officials say on September 7, 2023, Mr. Martell made an appearance for Central Judicial Processing proceedings.
He was subsequently released pending trial, albeit with strict monitoring and special release conditions, which include a prohibition from any contact with minor children.
It is essential to remember that a criminal complaint is an accusation, and individuals accused of crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.