BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Former Bloomfield High School coach and teacher Leo Donaldson and his husband, Bradley, are both facing indictment charges involving criminal behavior with minors.
They are expected in Newark Superior Court tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 27.
According to papers obtained from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, a grand jury indicted Leo Donaldson in June on 36-counts. The indictment lists aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated criminal sexual contact, official misconduct, criminal sexual contact and criminal coercion. Donaldson, a former assistant BHS cross-country and track coach, is alleged to
have threatened removing a boy from a running team if the boy did not perform a sexual act.
There is a one-count indictment of endangering the welfare of a child against Bradley Donaldson. Both men are residents of Bloomfield.
At their last court appearance, Sept. 15, Judge Richard Sules said a trial date may be considered at this upcoming hearing.
The allegations in the indictment are alleged to have occurred between August 2015 and September 2016 in Jersey City, Bloomfield, including a BHS classroom, and Sussex County. The minors, according to the indictment, were between 14 and 17 years old.
The Sussex County allegation is that Leo Donaldson endangered the welfare of a child by swimming in the nude with four minors present. Another allegation is that both Donaldsons directed and and participated in games where four minor had to undress. This is alleged to have occurred in Bloomfield. These are the only two instances in the indictment involving four minors. The papers obtained from the Prosecutor’s Office protect the identity of the minors by only providing their initials and dates of birth. The initials and dates of birth of the four minors in the alleged Sussex County swimming incident and the undressing allegation are identical. The alleged undressing game is the only indictment against Bradley Donaldson. All other other indicted offenses involved only Leo Donaldson and, from initials and dates of birth, two minors.
Leo Donaldson was arrested Oct. 27, 2016, after being discharged from a hospital he had entered Oct. 20, the day Bloomfield School District authorities were notified of his arrest warrant.
He was released from the Essex County Correctional Facility on March 13, after posting a bail of $300,000, with no 10 percent.
He had been incarcerated for 134 days. His original bail was $400,000. He is represented by Tim Smith, of Fairfield. Bradley Donaldson is represented by Frank Arleo, of West Orange.
At the Sept. 15 court hearing, Sules said he understood that ongoing negotiations between the defendants and the state would take 30 days.
But following the hearing, Smith said a trial date would most likely not be scheduled at this next hearing.
According to BHS Athletic Director Steve Jenkins, Donaldson served as the assistant cross country coach for six years and as head coach for two years. He was also an assistant outdoor track and field coach for eight years.
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