A camp counselor accused of inappropriately touching children and child pornography possession worked at the same Melville day camp where another man was recently indicted for similar allegations, Suffolk County police said.
Jay Marcello, 25, of Wantagh, was charged with criminal sexual act, use of a child in a sexual performance as a sexually motivated felony, sexual abuse, endangering the welfare of a child and 100 counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child.
Police said he inappropriately touched 14-year-old campers and had inappropriate conversations with campers of various ages at Kenwal Day Camp on Drexel Avenue between July and August 2016.
Computer Crimes Unit detectives, the FBI Long Island Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office launched a joint investigation into Marcello after the October 2016 indictment of 34-year-old Keith Meyn of Oakdale, another counselor at the same day camp, authorities said.
Meyn pleaded not guilty last fall in Suffolk County court to an 112-count indictment alleging he used an 11-year-old boy in sexual performances and possessed a massive collection of child pornography featuring boys younger than 16, prosecutors have said. He has been held at Suffolk jail since a judge set his bail at $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond.
Marcello, who worked as the same camp for the past seven years, was arrested Monday while he was driving to Nassau County BOCES Rosemary Kennedy Center in Wantagh, where he is employed as a substitute teaching assistant, police said. He will be arraigned Tuesday at First District Court in Central Islip.
Computer Crimes Unit detectives believe there may be additional victims, are continuing the investigation and ask anyone with information about this case to call them at 631-852-6279. All calls will be kept confidential.
