Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on March 22, 2024, the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P., sentenced Kyle Banner, 49, of Brick Township, to 180 days in the Ocean County Jail as well as Parole Supervision for Life, as a result of his previously entered guilty plea to three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child on November 6, 2023. Additionally, Judge Ryan ordered the forfeiture of Banner’s teaching license, as well as his ability to hold any and all future public employment. Finally, Banner will be required to register as a Megan’s Law offender, and be subject to the terms of Nicole’s Law – permanently prohibiting him from having any contact with his victims.
On April 23, 2023, administrators at Toms River Intermediate North were alerted that Banner – a teacher at both Toms River Intermediate North and Ocean County College – posted sexually explicit photographs of himself to his public Twitter profile. On April 24, 2023, Banner was suspended from his teaching position without pay.
A thorough investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, determined that students had viewed the sexually explicit images by accessing Banner’s public Twitter profile. Further investigation revealed that the photographs were taken in his classroom at Toms River Intermediate North. During the course of the investigation, Detectives also discovered that Banner sent inappropriate photographs of himself to a student via Snapchat between the months of October and December 2022. Detectives also recovered numerous images of Banner engaging in sexual conduct with himself in his classroom at Toms River Intermediate North.
On May 23, 2023, Banner surrendered himself to the Toms River Township Police Department. He was processed and transported to the Ocean County Jail, and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Assistant Prosecutor Kimberly Carr who handled the case on behalf of the State, and commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation.