By: Jeff Sommes
A 39-year-old Sparta man who previously coached wrestling at Newark Academy is facing multiple charges after authorities accused him of explicit contact of a 15-year-old in Livingston.
According to information released by Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, John Kane has been charged with four counts of sexual assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
Authorities allege that Kane transported the 15-year-old victim to a parking lot at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston on April 26, 2026, where the alleged sexual assault occurred.
Prosecutors said the victim is not a student at Newark Academy.
Kane previously served as a wrestling coach at Newark Academy and was also involved with the Livingston Youth Wrestling Program, West Essex Regional School District, the Township of Livingston, and The Work Family Connection, an after-school program serving Morris, Warren, Union, Somerset and Hunterdon counties, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
The charges are accusations, and Kane is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.