Matthew Shriver at his detention hearing with attorney John Zarych.
A Galloway Township gymnastics instructor accused of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old student will stay jailed.
Matthew Shriver, 51, who lives in Brigantine, did not fight his detention at a brief hearing Wednesday.
Instead, defense attorney John Zarych told the judge that he explained the high burden they would have to overcome after the public safety assessment recommended Shriver not be released.
Under bail reform, the public safety assessment is used to held determine whether someone should be held or released. Judges are able to rule otherwise, but the PSA often plays a deciding factor.
Superior Court Judge Donna Taylor indicated she agreed with the assessment, after going over the filings of both sides, which included several character letters filed on Shriver's behalf.
Shriver and his wife, Jennifer Jones-Shriver, owned Everest Gymnastics and Tumbling with locations in Galloway and Mays Landing.
Jones-Shriver indicated both online and to parents that her husband no longer has any connection to the business. But it was unclear what his ownership status would be.
Jones-Shriver has dropped her husband's name publicly, and several sources have told BreakingAC she filed for divorce, but that has not been confirmed.
"I had no knowledge of anything inappropriate happening," Jones wrote in a post on the center's Facebook page last month.
The investigation began after a coach at the Mays Landing location went to the victim's mother saying that there was possibly an inappropriate relationship between Shriver and the woman's daughter.
"Several coaches from both locations had heard the same information," the Mays Landing coach told police, according to the affidavit.
The victim's parents said they had noticed a change in their daughter, including that she wanted to be at the gym more than usual and was spending a lot of time with Shriver, who often drove her to and from practice.
She also went to Shriver's Brigantine home to "pick up his dog," but when they tried to call the girl and Shriver during that time, there was no answer.
Shriver's wife got in contact with him, and he called the girl's parents telling them that the batteries on both their phones had died, the affidavit states.
The girl later told police that she would go straight to the gym after school, and the two would have sex before anyone else arrived. She pointed out the mats where the assaults occurred, and sections were taken as evidence.
The two spoke about how they were in love with one another, according to the affidavit.
There is 44 seconds of video footage showing what appears to be some form of sexual contact, the affidavit states.
Internet searches also indicate evidence, including Shriver's phone showing searches for "teen bras," "abortion pills" and "female period timelines."
The victim's searches included "pregnant prevention pills" and "can you get pregnant at 14 by a 51 year old man."
Shriver allegedly tried to hide his cell phone and run from police when they came to arrest him, according to the charges.
"Mr. Shriver placed his phone in his pocket and refused to turn it over to officers when he was advised it was evidence in connection with a crime," a separate affidavit reads. "Mr. Shriver attempted to run from the scene and then physically resisted being placed into handcuffs."
Shriver is banned from working by USA Gymnastics.
It's not the first time the organization limited Shriver.
He was restricted from unsupervised contact with minors in 2017, after an allegation of "inappropriate spotting" was made to USA Gymnastics, BreakingAC previously reported.
An investigation — which included Galloway Township police detectives speaking with Jones that October — did not result in any charges. No parent ever came forward or signed a complaint, and the restriction was dropped.
Shriver will remain jailed pending the outcome of his case.
A next court date has not yet been scheduled, since both sides agreed to wait until after the case is presented to a grand jury for indictment, which is not expected to happen until later next month.
