Ventnor City, NJ – A former South Jersey roller-skating coach has been arrested on charges stemming from allegations that he groomed and repeatedly sexually assaulted a teenage athlete he coached during the early 1990s.
The New Jersey State Police announced that Ralph Marinelli, 75, of Ventnor City, has been charged with sexual assault and related offenses following a months-long investigation into allegations dating back more than three decades.
According to investigators, the Troop “C” Tuckerton Station Criminal Investigation Office was notified in February of allegations involving the sexual assault of a minor that allegedly occurred between 1992 and 1995.
Victim says abuse began while she was a teenage athlete
State police said the victim reported that Marinelli, who served as her roller-skating coach, groomed her when she was a child before allegedly sexually assaulting her repeatedly over a period of several years.
According to authorities, the victim was 15 years old at the time of the alleged abuse and was a competitive roller-skating athlete.
Investigators said Marinelli coached the victim at Young’s Skating Center in Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, during the period when the alleged assaults occurred.
Search warrant executed in Ventnor City
On July 3, detectives assigned to the Troop “C” Tuckerton Station Criminal Investigation Office, working alongside the Ventnor City Police Department and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, executed a search warrant at Marinelli’s residence on Wyoming Avenue in Ventnor City.
Marinelli was arrested and charged with:
- Two counts of second-degree sexual assault of a minor.
- Sexual assault while maintaining a position of supervisory or disciplinary authority.
Following his arrest, Marinelli was lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending court proceedings.
Investigators seek additional victims
The New Jersey State Police believe others may have information relevant to the investigation and are encouraging anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Marinelli to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Troop “C” Tuckerton Station Detective Bureau at 609-296-3132.
Authorities have not indicated whether they believe there are additional victims but said the investigation remains active.