A 26-year-old area teacher and sports coach has been arrested and charged with soliciting a sexual act for cash and sending sexually explicit media of himself to a person he thought was a 14-year-old girl he met online, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Friday.

Thomas R. Carraher, of Howell, has been charged with attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted promotion of obscene material to a minor, and attempted criminal sexual contact stemming from the incident.

An investigation by the MCPO Internet Crimes Unit revealed that Carraher recently used a social media app in his attempt to solicit the sex act and sent a graphic image and video of himself, after which he also attempted to solicit a graphic image from the person with whom he was communicating. He was arrested on Thursday and transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution pending future proceedings in Monmouth County Superior Court.

Carraher is employed as a teacher at the Mahala F. Atchison Elementary School in Tinton Falls, and also works as a basketball coach at the Shrewsbury Borough School. At this time, there is no indication that the above charges relate directly to any student or student-athlete at either school.

Investigators are seeking additional information about Carraher’s activities; anyone with such information is being asked to contact MCPO Detective Anthony Lacher at 800-533-7443.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office

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