PLEASANTVILLE—James Hadley, an Ocean County College dean, traveled to Atlantic County intending to meet a child for paid sex acts and instead encountered undercover detectives. Hadley, 66, of Barnegat, was arrested on March 13 by Pleasantville Police and the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit, following an investigation initiated when a stepmother brought a cell phone to police.
The 66-year-old served as dean of the School of Business and Social Sciences at Ocean County College, a position he took two months ago according to his LinkedIn profile. He previously worked as a college lecturer at the same institution since 2019.
Prosecutor William E. Reynolds stated Hadley also works as an adjunct professor at Kean University. Ocean County College placed Hadley on suspension and barred him from the Toms River campus immediately after learning of the arrest from Pleasantville Police.
College officials said they have no record of complaints regarding his conduct during his employment and noted he passed all background checks required for his position. Investigators determined Hadley had allegedly met the child twice previously for paid sexual acts.
Employment and Investigation Details
During the March 13 operation, Hadley traveled from Ocean County to Pleasantville expecting to meet the child for another paid encounter, carrying cash and condoms. The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office filed a motion to keep Hadley in the Atlantic County Jail pending trial.
Charges filed by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office include second-degree sexual assault involving a victim under 16, second-degree luring, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact under New Jersey law. He faces decades in prison if convicted on all counts. Second-degree crimes carry sentences of five to 10 years upon conviction in New Jersey Superior Court. The case will proceed to Atlantic County Superior Court with a detention hearing tentatively scheduled for March 18.
Youth Organization Connections
In addition to academic posts, Hadley held board roles with several youth-serving organizations in Ocean County, including President of Ocean's Harbor House since January 2024, founding board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean County, and board service with Barnegat Basketball Club since 2019.
His LinkedIn profile indicated he was currently matched in a one-on-one mentoring relationship with a seventh teenager through Big Brothers Big Sisters. The organizations moved quickly to distance themselves from the accused dean following Friday’s arrest. Barnegat Basketball Club issued a statement acknowledging the accusations and stating it had removed Hadley from both travel and recreational basketball programs. Ocean's Harbor House and Big Brothers Big Sisters scrubbed his name from their websites as of Monday afternoon.
Hadley remains in Atlantic County Jail awaiting the Wednesday hearing.
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Sources
• Kathleen Hopkins, "Ocean County College dean arrested in sting" (March 16, 2026)
• Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, "Press Release: Child Sexual Abuse Arrest" (March 16, 2026)
• Press of Atlantic City, "Ocean County College dean arrested in undercover sex sting" (March 17, 2026)
• BreakingAC, "Barnegat Man Arrested For Trying To Have Sex With A Minor" (March 16, 2026)
• NJ.com, "N.J. college dean arrested in sex sting operation" (March 17, 2026)