Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina recently announced that a 31-year-old Haddon Township man was sentenced to five years in New Jersey state prison for having sex with a female student while he was employed as a teacher at Cherokee High School.
Brantley Cesanek pled guilty in September to endangering the welfare of a child (second-degree). The sentence was handed down in Superior Court by the Hon. Terrence R. Cook, P.J.Cr.
“We as parents entrust teachers with the most important people in our lives – our children,” Coffina said. “We all suffer from the erosion of that trust when a teacher crosses the line and has an improper – and illegal – relationship with a student. This case serves as an example that conduct such as that engaged in by this defendant will never be tolerated and will be met by significant consequences.”
The investigation began in October 2018 after Evesham Township police were contacted with information that indicated Cesanek and a high school student had been involved in an inappropriate relationship. The investigation confirmed that Cesanek, a Latin teacher, was involved in an ongoing sexual relationship with a student in 2016 and 2017. The sexual contact occurred at Cesanek’s home in the 300 block of South Park Drive. There was also improper conduct by the defendant with the student while at school.
Cesanek was arrested within 24 hours of police having received the information. He did not teach after being charged and is no longer employed by the district, school officials said.
Cesanek was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Eife, supervisor of the Special Victims Section of the BCPO Major Crimes Unit. The investigation was conducted by detectives from the Evesham Township Police Department, the Haddon Township Police Department, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.
