Catholic school teacher in New Jersey charged with secretly recording young girls.

A former New Jersey high school teacher, Axel Palomares, 50, has been arrested on multiple charges, including the creation and possession of child sexual abuse material. His arrest, which occurred on a Tuesday following a search of his residence in Morristown, has brought to light a disturbing series of alleged incidents involving the secret recording of young girls, both at local shopping malls and within his school environment.

Palomares worked as a Spanish teacher and was also involved in coaching the girls’ soccer team at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Edison prior to his arrest. The investigation into his activities began in December 2022, following a tip-off regarding a user on the Kik messaging application who was discussing illicit recordings and expressing fantasies of child exploitation.

According to legal documents, Palomares was reportedly captured on surveillance video spending a considerable amount of time in bathrooms at Bridgewater Commons mall. Furthermore, he was also observed at the Short Hills Mall in Millburn, where he allegedly recorded young girls in compromised situations. Complaints indicate that he is accused of using the same techniques to film upskirt videos of at least one female student at his high school.

Authorities revealed that the alleged misconduct took place between April 2022 and March 2023, raising significant concerns regarding student safety and the breach of trust inherent in his role as an educator. Following the search of his home, investigators discovered a small recording device along with hundreds of images depicting child sexual abuse. However, no cameras or additional recording equipment were found at the school during a follow-up sweep after his arrest.

Palomares is currently in custody at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Facility, awaiting a pre-trial detention hearing scheduled for Friday. The Catholic Diocese of Metuchen expressed its devastation in response to the allegations, indicating concern for the violation of student privacy potentially caused by Palomares’s “sickening conduct.”

As the investigation unfolds, both the community and the educational institution grapple with the severity of these allegations and what they signify for student safety within schools.