NJ cheer dad admits sleepover turned into years of sexual abuse

⚠️ A Mantua man pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated sexual assault of a minor.

➡️ Prosecutors said the victim was a member of a cheerleading squad coached by his wife.

🔴 The plea agreement calls for a 10-year prison sentence and sex offender registration.

MANTUA — The husband of a cheerleading coach has admitted to having sex with a member of her young squad.

Michael Brown, 46, pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated sexual assault of a minor. He made the plea in Superior Court in Gloucester County on Thursday, prosecutors announced.

As part of his plea, Brown will be sentenced to 10 years in state prison. He must serve 8.5 years before he is eligible for parole, and he will be added to the state's sex offender registry when he gets out. He is also banned from youth sports.

Micahel Brown (Mantua police/Canva)

Sleepover assault started years of abuse

It started in 2018 when the girl was 13 years old, according to Mantua police. She was friends with Brown's daughter and stayed the night at their Mantua home for a sleepover. The victim said Brown, who was entrusted with her care during the sleepover, put his mouth on her chest.

Investigators found the abuse continued through 2020. The girl said she lost count of how many times they were intimate at Brown's home and different hotels in Mantua, West Deptford, and Woodbury.

The victim was a member of the Harrison Sparks cheerleading squad, which Brown's wife coached. County prosecutors said that his wife was fully aware of the abuse and did nothing to stop him.

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Valerie Brown (Mantua police/Canva)

Cheer coach accused of covering up text messages

Valerie Brown, 44, is charged with child endangerment and criminal sexual contact, both third-degree offenses. Those charges are pending.

Police found texts between Michael Brown and the victim. According to investigators, Valerie Brown told the girl to delete the messages and that they were "just a joke."

Since their arrests in December 2025, the Harrison Sparks website has remained in limbo. A message states that the site will be "removed from the LeagueLineup network shortly."

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