Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on November 6, 2023, Kyle Banner, 48, of Brick Township, pled guilty to three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, before the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P. At the time of his sentencing, the State will be seeking a term of 364 days in the Ocean County Jail as to each count, which will run concurrently. Additionally, the State will be seeking the forfeiture of Banner’s teaching license, as well as any and all future public employment. Finally, Banner will also be required to register as a Megan’s Law offender, and be subject to Parole Supervision for Life.
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 is handling 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, leading to Banner’s guilty pleas.