Former Mater Dei Dean Indicted on Sex Assault

A former Mater Dei Prep High School dean has been indicted on sexual assault charges leveled at him by Middletown police back in April.

that took place during his five-year tenure at the school, in the New Monmouth section of Middletown, with a female student who was 16 at the time and has since graduated.

The former teacher and dean, William Miltner, 28, of Acker Drive, Middletown, was indicted by a grand jury on: two counts of sexual assault, second degree crimes; criminal sexual contact, a fourth degree crime; and endangering the welfare of a child, a second degree crime.

Neither Miltner nor the student are teaching at or attending the school any longer.

Middletown Police Detective Kelly Godley made the arrest on April 12 when, according to police records, Miltner had been employed by the high school for five years. The former teacher and soccer coach started working at Mater Dei in 2006, was promoted to the Dean of Students position in 2010 and let go after the charges were pressed.

Police said that he allegedly had an ongoing sexual relationship of roughly half a year with the female student he is charged with assaulting. The alleged incidents took place outside of school, authorities added.

According to the indictment, the sexual assault charges are based on evidence that sometime between March and September of 2009, Miltner “did commit the crime of sexual assault by committing an act of sexual penetration” with the victim, who “was at least 16 but less than 18 years old and William Miltner had supervisory or disciplinary power over” her.

The second sexual assault charge alleges that there is evidence that not only was there a sexual violation, but Miltner “used physical force or coercion,” but the victim “did not sustain physical injury.”

The criminal sexual contact charge, a fourth degree crime, alleges, according to the indictment that the age of the victim at the time of the alleged sexual incidents makes the contact criminal, considering her age and Miltner’s position of authority over her at the school.

The child endangerment charge alleges that Miltner put the student’s welfare in danger “by engaging in sexual contact which would impair or debauch the morals of child … while having a legal duty or having assumed responsibility for the care of the child.”

An indictment does not indicate absolute guilt or a conviction. It only means that a county grand jury found there was enough evidence to proceed with a prosecution. Guilt or innocence will be tried and determined in a court of law.