One of the former Sayreville High School football players accused in a series of locker room sexual assaults is suing the county.
SAYREVILLE -- One of the former Sayreville football players charged in the 2014 locker room hazing scandal is suing the county prosecutor's office and the school district, alleging civil rights violations.
Former Sayreville football team captain Dylan Thillet, who had been charged in connection with a series of hazing incidents inside the team's locker room in September 2014, issued a notice of intent letter last year indicating he planned to file a $2 million civil rights suit.
Last month, the lawsuit was filed, listing the plaintiff by the initials "DT."
The lawsuit alleges the prosecutor's office violated the state's juvenile code of justice by issuing a statement in August 2015 that outlined details of the hazing incident. Those details, the suit argues, should not have been divulged.
In the statement, prosecutors said two 15-year-old defendants held down a 14-year-old boy while another digitally penetrated him through his clothing. It further said that a 15-year-old defendant had "swiped his fingers between the buttocks of a 14-year-old boy."
"You cannot disclose certain records to third parties without a court order," Thillet's East Brunswick attorney, Richard P. Klein, told NJ Advance Media in a telephone interview. "We believe this is actionable."
Klein said these actions exposed his client to "public scorn, humiliation, ridicule, damage to his reputation and extreme and lasting stigmatization."
The suit also alleges the prosecutor's office released confidential juvenile records to the law firm representing the Sayreville Board of Education and that the law firm then disclosed that confidential information to members of the school board.
The lawsuit also alleges that the prosecutor's office filed new charges against one of the football players in April 2015 "in retaliation for (the football player's) continued refusal to agree to any plea offer" by the prosecutor's office.
A spokesman for Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey issued a statement on Monday, and maintained that the prosecutor's office remained in full compliance with the juvenile justice code.
"Throughout this case, all of the named civil defendants went to extraordinary measures to protect the rights and dignity of every one of the juvenile defendants, victims, and their families," said Jim O'Neil, spokesman for the prosecutor's office. "This office remains in full compliance with the laws pertaining to juveniles and has successfully protected the identities of the juveniles in accordance with the law while fulfilling its obligation to notify the public of the offenses.
Attempts to contact the school superintendent and members of the school board by phone and email over the weekend and Monday morning were not returned.
Thillet is also suing the Sayreville school superintendent, the board of education president, and a series of officials at the county prosecutor's office.
Six teenagers charged in the incidents were in court last year, Carey said. He said three defendants admitted to digitally penetrating one of their victims through clothing, as well as other charges ranging from hazing to simple assault. A fourth also pleaded guilty to charges ranging from hazing to simple assault, Carey said, adding that two were found guilty by the judge.
None was found guilty on the most serious charges of sexual assault, the prosecutor said.
All of the defendants avoided juvenile detention, and none had to register under Megan's Law. Instead, each was sentenced to probation and 50 hours of community service.
Four defendants pleaded guilty in Family Court to hazing, a disorderly persons offense, and third-degree endangering the welfare of their teammates, the prosecutor's office said in a previous report. They were sentenced to two years of probation. The two others were found adjudicated delinquent in a trial in Family Court and sentenced to a year of probation.
In the final case, resolved before Superior Court Judge James Hyland on Feb. 26, 2016, the judge deferred final disposition for 30 days, pending a showing by the teenager that he could stay out of trouble. The teen stayed out of trouble and the case ended, Carey said.
After the students were charged, the prosecutor's office criticized one of the attorneys representing the football players for using confidentiality rules to "unscrupulously mislead the public as to what occurred at the school and during juvenile proceedings."
This was an apparent reference to statements made by Klein, who, in August 2015, told media outlets that his client was found delinquent on a lesser charge when he was in fact found delinquent of a more serious charge.
The hazing scandal upended the football program, drawing national attention and the ousting of a longtime football coach who was ultimately transferred to a different school.
Sue Epstein and Steve Strunsky contributed to this post.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.