Prosecutor Says Germany Is Unlikely to Charge N.J. School Employees Accused of Sex with Students

By Brent Johnson
NJ.com
March 19, 2015

http://www.njlawjournal.com/id=1202720940575/NJ-Cant-Prosecute-Chaperones-in-Overseas-Sex-Case?slreturn=20150228155058

The criminal case against two former employees at a Bergen County high school accused of having sex with students on a school trip to Germany is likely dead now that the state Supreme Court ruled that the men cannot be tried in New Jersey, the prosecutor in the case said today.

New Jersey's highest court voted 6-0 Wednesday that the state does not have jurisdiction in the case against former Paramus Catholic High School employees Artur Sopel and Michael Sumulikoski and dismissed a series of sexual assault and child endangerment charges against the men.

But Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said while his office notified German authorities of the allegations, he does not expect the men to now face charges there instead. The age of consent in the European country is 14.

"Although I can't speak for them, I always believed it would be highly unlikely something would be brought by German authorities," Molinelli said.