By Jay Cook |
FREEHOLD – A Colts Neck youth tennis teacher has been indicted on varying charges of sexual assault and other misconduct involving a student and other local children.
A 15-count indictment was handed up by a Monmouth County grand jury on Feb. 2 charging Terry Y. Kuo, 26, of Colts Neck, according to a statement by Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
The charges against Kuo, who also went by the name “Victor Lee,” stem from a police investigation during the summer and fall of 2017 after a 13-year-old tennis student accused Kuo of sexual misconduct, said Gramiccioni.
An investigation by the Marlboro Township Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Bureau and Computer Crimes Unit allegedly turned up child pornography on Kuo’s electronic devices and improper conduct with other children, according to police.
Kuo is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 20 before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Vincent N. Falcetano.
Kuo is represented by Mitchell Ansell, a criminal defense lawyer and partner at the Ocean Township-based Ansell, Grimm & Aaron, PC law firm.
In an interview with The Two River Times, Ansell said his client refutes the charges.
“On behalf of Terry and his family, he vehemently denies these charges,” said Ansell. “He plans on vigorously fighting these charges in court.”
Ansell added, “There’s a lot more to this story than what’s been printed in the media.”
Kuo was charged in the indictment with one count of first degree attempted aggravated sexual assault, one count of second degree attempted sexual assault, one count of first degree causing or permitting a child to engage in child pornography, one count of second degree manufacturing child pornography, one count of third degree possession of child pornography, one count of fourth degree lewdness, two counts of third degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, one count of fourth degree stalking, one count of second degree endangering the welfare of a child, two counts of third degree endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of third degree obscenity, Gramiccioni said.
If convicted on the attempted aggravated sexual assault charge, Kuo could face up to 20 years in state prison. The sexual assault is punishable by up to 10 years.
According to Kuo’s LinkedIn page, he is the founder and chief operating officer at ATS Tennis, 36 Artisan Way in Colts Neck, which Ansell confirmed. The address is also the location of the Colts Neck Racquet Club.
Ansell said he expects the case to be heard within the next six months.
“We’ll probably have a lot more to say as the case progresses,” Ansell said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact either Detective Edward Ungrady of the Marlboro Township Police Department at 732-536-0100 ext. 1099 or Detective Shawn Murphy of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-431-7160 ext. 7032.
This article was first published in the Feb. 8-15, 2018 print edition of The Two River Times.
