By Barbara A. Preston l October 10, 2021
A 17-year-old female student reported to Franklin Township police on October 6 that she was sexually assaulted by 30-year-old teacher/coach Matthew J. Rennie, who is employed at a private educational institution. A Google search reveled Rennie was employed at Rutgers Prep School, although his name has since been removed from the Rutgers Prep website.
The victim said the alleged incidents occurred in Montgomery Township and in East Amwell Township from July 2021 to September 2021.
Rennie, a volleyball coach at Rutgers Prep, lives on Rileyville Road in Ringoes (East Amwell Township), according to the police report.
Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and the Montgomery Township Police Department arrested Rennie on October 6 at the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office without incident.
Police charged Rennie with 2nd degree sexual assault and 3rd degree endangering the welfare of a child. Defendant Rennie was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Police also arrested Ranait Griff, 30, a female teacher/coach at the same school, who was allegedly aware of the sexual relationship. Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Abuse Unit and the Franklin Township Police Department arrested Griff, without incident.
Police charged Griff, who lives in Brooklyn, NY, with endangering the welfare of a child because authorities said she had knowledge of the assault and did not report it. She was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.
The NJSIAA website shows Rennie coached girls volleyball and Griff coached girls lacrosse at the school in the Somerset section of Franklin Township.
A Rutgers Prep spokeswoman said in statement without naming Rennie or Griff: “We take the allegations made against two school employees extremely seriously. When we learned they had been arrested, both were immediately suspended. The safety of our students is our first priority. We have hired an experienced investigator to conduct a thorough and independent investigation, and we will cooperate fully with law enforcement. Because this is a legal matter and a personnel matter we will not comment further.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes Unit 908.231.7100 or the Montgomery Township Police at Montgomery Township Police Department at 908.359.3222.
