Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on May 23, 2023, Kyle Banner, 48, of Brick Township, was charged with Official Misconduct and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
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 pornographic 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 the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, determined that students had viewed the pornographic 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 in October of 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, where he is currently lodged pending a detention hearing.
“I would encourage parents to have a conversation with their children if they had this defendant as a teacher. If anyone has additional information regarding this investigation, please contact Detective Graham Borg of the Toms River Township Police Department at 732- 349-0150, or Detective Stephanie Bayha of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, extension 3861,” Prosecutor Billhimer stated.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges 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.
The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
R.P.C. 3.6(b)(6).