Category: Burlington

Former Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sexual Relationship with Student

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a 31-year-old Haddon Township man pled guilty today in Superior Court to having sex with a female student while he was employed as a teacher at Cherokee High School.

Under an agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office, Brantley Cesanek will serve five years in New Jersey state prison in exchange for pleading guilty to Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Second Degree). The Hon. Terrence R. Cook, P.J.Cr., scheduled sentencing for November 15.

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, had been involved in an ongoing sexual relationship with a student in 2016 and 2017. The sexual contact occurred at Cesenak’s home in the 300 block of South Park Drive.

Cesanek was arrested within 24 hours of police having received the information. He has not taught since being charged and is no longer employed by the district, school officials said.

Cesanek is being 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 (NJ) Department, the Haddon Township Police Department, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.