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Teacher Gets Four Years in Prison for Sexually Assaulting a Student in Montgomery Township

By Barbara A. Preston | Posted March 22, 2023


Matthew Rennie, 29, of Ringoes — a former Rutgers Preparatory School teacher and basketball coach — was sentenced in Superior Court in Somerville on March 17 to four years in New Jersey State Prison for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old Rutgers Prep student. The assaults took place in Montgomery Township and East Amwell from July to September 2021.


Rennie is prohibited from teaching or coaching anyone under the age of 18 and must continue psychotherapy. Once he is released from prison, he will be on parole supervision for life. He is also subject to the registration and reporting requirement of Megan’s Law, according to a press release from the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office.

Matthew Rennie


Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald stated that Rennie was arrested on October 6, 2021, after a 17 year-old female victim reported to Franklin Township Police that she was sexually assaulted by teacher/coach Matthew Rennie, who was employed at Rutgers Prep School, which is located in the Somerset section of Franklin Township.


The victim was interviewed by detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Abuse Unit and Franklin Township Police Department. As a result of this investigation, the victim disclosed that the sexual assaults occurred in Montgomery Township (Somerset County) and East Amwell Township (Hunterdon County).

Ranait Griff


As a result of this investigation, detectives determined that Ranait Griff, 30, of South Orange, a teacher/coach at the same school, was aware of the inappropriate sexual relationship. Griff was arrested by detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Abuse Unit and the Franklin Township Police Department without incident at the Franklin Township Police Department.


Griff was indicted for 4th degree Failure to Report Child Sexual Abuse.


Rennie is required to provide truthful testimony against Griff, who is scheduled for trial in May.


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Rennie was indicted for 2nd degree Sexual Assault and 3rd degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

He had entered a guilty plea to the charges on May 6, 2022, and was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending an evaluation. After a hearing on the results of that evaluation was held, the defendant was scheduled for sentencing on March 17.


Rutgers Prep campus in Franklin Township.


Rennie is a Rutgers Prep alumnus, Class of 2012. He played basketball at Dartmouth as a 6-foot-8 forward.


Griff is a 2009 graduate of Rutgers Prep. She played basketball at Fordham University.


Prosecutor McDonald and Chief Fodor request anyone with information relating to the sexual assault to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes Unit 908.231.7100 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 888.577.TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

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