Prosecutor: NJ high school dean tried to meet teen for sex

A 54-year-old private high school dean was arrested after trying to meet with someone he thought was a teenager for sex, officials say.

Didier Jean-Baptiste, of Jersey City, has been charged with second-degree attempted luring and third-degree attempted endangering the welfare of a child.

Jean-Baptiste, a dean of seniors at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, had arranged to meet a person that he believed to be a teen for sex in Harrison, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, adding the crimes did not involve any students.

The Catholic college preparatory school, which runs from grades K-12, said that immediate action was taken to fire Jean-Baptiste — without confirming his name — in a statement on Twitter posted Tuesday.

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“Though no current or former students was involved, and the event did not occur on school grounds, an internal investigation has already begun,” according to the statement.

One of a number of Youtube channels dedicated to videotaping “To Catch a Predator” style operations — New Jersey Predator Intervention — posted video of an apparent encounter with Jean-Baptiste before police were called.

Some video commenters said that the jacket seen during the confrontation was from St. Benedict's Prep.

On Thursday, Jean-Baptiste was arrested at his home and taken to the Harrison Police Department, as seen in footage taken by News 12.

He was released on a summons and was tentatively set to appear in court on Oct. 24.

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