Matthew Shriver
The owner of a Galloway Township gymnastics studio accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student on multiple occasions was previously restricted from unsupervised contact with minors.
Matthew Shriver, 51, who lives in Brigantine, faces charges of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, witness tampering and endangering the welfare of a child.
He and the girl had sexual relations multiple times at the Galloway gym in spots where there were no cameras, according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by BreakingAC. The assaults began sometime in September, when the girl started her current school year.
Shriver and his wife, Jennifer Jones-Shriver, own Everest Gymnastics and Tumbling, which has locations in Galloway Township and Mays Landing.
Jones-Shriver — who is now going only as Jenn Jones — wrote in a Facebook post that Shriver is no longer connected to the company. She reiterated that sentiment during a meeting with students' parents Wednesday evening, one father told BreakingAC.
"I had no knowledge of anything inappropriate happening," Jones wrote in a post on the center's Facebook page.
But it seems that there had been issues as far back as 2017, when the studio first opened.
In October 2017, Galloway Township police got a tip from USA Gymnastics claiming "inappropriate spotting" by Shriver, police told BreakingAC. No details were given about the allegations, which seem to indicate touching that happened during coaching sessions.
Due to the investigation, USA Gymnastics ordered that Shriver have no unsupervised contact with minors pending a hearing.
No parent ever signed a complaint, and the case did not result in a charge, police said. As a result, the restriction was removed.
During that time, Shriver also was state president of Jersey Optional Gymnastics Association, or JOGA, according to their IRS filing at the time. It was not clear when they broke ties.
A JOGA representative asked that the organization not be mentioned in an article, due to the length of time that has passed. But they refused to answer BreakingAC's questions about why ties were cut and the seeming overlap between his service as president and the 2017 restriction.
"I will repeat Matt does not currently hold a position on JOGA, and has not in many years," wrote Sara Aunedi, who signed an email as JOGA state director. "His prior position almost a decade ago is irrelevant to the subject of the article."
She also claimed that Jones' information on the Everest website that said Shriver's wife "is currently a JOGA Team Director" is inaccurate.
It "is a position at Everest, not with JOGA," Aunedi wrote. "This is a position named by and made up by Everest."
USA Gymnastics would not comment on the 2017 case, but instead pointed a reporter to the new restriction imposed on Shriver suspending him "from all contact."
Of note is that the suspension was not listed until after BreakingAC emailed USA Gymnastics about the issue just before noon Wednesday.
Shriver is now in the Atlantic County Justice Facility awaiting a detention hearing set for next week. No attorney is listed in court system at this time.
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."
