A former New Jersey police officer and volunteer fire chief has been indicted on multiple charges for allegedly sexually assaulting 11 firefighters. Robert Sinnott Jr., 53, faces new counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, second-degree official misconduct, and second-degree pattern of official misconduct, according to the New Jersey Attorney General's office.
Authorities allege Sinnott, a retired Island Heights police officer and former chief of the Silverton Volunteer Fire Company in Toms River, created situations to be alone with his victims at various locations, including the firehouse and his home. He purportedly handcuffed victims under the guise of police-related training or otherwise physically restrained them before forcing sexual contact.
In one incident in August 2022, Sinnott allegedly handcuffed a subordinate firefighter at his home, placed him in a headlock, and forced sexual contact while posing for photographs with a digital camera. A month prior, Sinnott reportedly used a mechanical device to “hog tie” a male firefighter, climbed on top of him, engaged in sexual activity, and photographed the encounter.
Another firefighter reported that Sinnott restrained him in the chief’s vehicle on Feb. 10, 2023, while inspecting a fire hydrant. According to court documents, Sinnott pushed the firefighter's head onto the dashboard, grabbed his arm, and forced his hand onto Sinnott’s groin before laughing and releasing him. The same firefighter claims Sinnott attacked him again two weeks later, grabbing him in a bear hug and rubbing his crotch against the subordinate's buttocks while mocking him.
“The defendant held positions of trust and power within the communities he served and among his coworkers and subordinates in government. But, as alleged in the indictment, he abused that trust again and again,” Davenport’s office stated. Court filings indicate Sinnott’s victims initially viewed him as a “role model, mentor, and father figure” and feared professional retaliation if they reported the incidents.
Sinnott was arrested at his home in Cape Coral, Florida, in December and extradited to New Jersey. He is currently out of jail and faces the new charges in addition to four counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and one count of second-degree official misconduct from a previous case. Sinnott has pleaded not guilty, and his attorney stated the defense intends to fight the case vigorously. The attorney also expressed perplexity at the state pursuing charges after a previous local prosecution did not proceed.