A New Jersey field hockey club coach has been arrested for allegedly “exchanging sexually explicit text messages with a 17-year-old female player,” according to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.
Brett Clay, 39, was identified last month by the targeted athlete. Her family filed a police report and then following a subsequent investigation, authorities arrested Clay in Raritan Township, New Jersey on March 28. He was charged with a second-degree felony, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor.
Clay was a coach at Centercourt, but as of Thursday, he was not listed on the club’s website.
*Brett Clay, photo: Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office
The family gave the police emails and text messages in March, according to the affidavit. The teenager was then interviewed by detectives in the Child Advocacy Center from the Special Victim’s Unit.
The field hockey player and coach were communicating in private text messages – not a team group text – between mid-December and early March, according to the affidavit.
Police have evidence that Clay sent messages that became “sexual in nature.” And, Clay “offered the victim money in exchange for sexually explicit images.” The affidavit states that he offered her $1,000 for a sexually explicit video.
An investigation was conducted by detectives from the Bridgewater Police Department and detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit. As a result, Clay was arrested.
Endangering the welfare of a child is a second-degree felony in the State of New Jersey. If convicted of the second-degree felony, Clay is facing the possible penalties of five to 10 years in prison and a maximum possible fine of $150,000.
Clay is currently in jail.
Anyone with information relating to this investigation is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Bridgewater Township Police Department at (908) 722-4111 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos.
STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.
Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.
