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Co-Founder of Summit Robotics Lab Charged with Allegedly Endangering the Welfare of Minors

Summit

A co-founder of a Summit-based robotics laboratory has been charged with sexual crimes against three students who attended classes there, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Summit Police Chief Andrew Bartolotti jointly announced Thursday.

Offcials said Mr. Christopher P. Marbaix, 59, is charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, three counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact with a minor.

The charges are the result of a joint investigation conducted by members of the Summit Police Department and the Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Bryan Tiscia, who is prosecuting the case.

The investigation revealed that on multiple occasions from September 2016 through December 2018, Marbaix allegedly inappropriately touched the three victims over their clothing while they were under his personal instruction at Robot Revolution on Maple Avenue, when they were between the ages of 12 and 15.

Robot Revolution describes itself on its website as the largest robotics school in the state, having given instruction to more than 3,000 students since it opened nearly a decade ago.

Marbaix was taken into custody without incident Thursday morning, pending a first appearance to take place in Union County Superior Court.

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