Lakewood Yeshiva Teacher Yosef Kolko Admits Abusing Boy
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
A former yeshiva teacher in the Orthodox town of Lakewood, N.J., Yeshiva teacher today admitted sexually abusing a boy after two more victims of his came forward to accuse him, authorities told the Asbury Park Press.
Yosef Kolko pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault, attempted aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and child endangerment, and was led out of an Ocean County courtroom in handcuffs, the paper reported.
Kolko was expected to stand trial on charges of sexually abusing a boy, now 16, when he was 11 and 12, in 2008 and 2009, the paper said.
Kolko’s trial on the charges involving that one boy got underway last week, but prosecutors told the judge that the defendant decided to plead guilty after learning that two more victims had come forward to authorities.
Kolko admitted committing a variety of sexual acts on a boy who attended Yachad, a summer camp that is run by the Yeshiva Bais Hatorah School where Kolko was a counselor. He also was a teacher at Yeshiva Orchos Chaim in Lakewood.
Kolko faces up to 40 years in prison but will likely be sentenced to no more than 15 years under sentencing guidelines.
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