MENDHAM TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — A horse trainer from Passaic County has been charged with multiple offenses, including sexual assault of a minor, following an investigation in Morris County, authorities said.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally and Mendham Township Police Chief Ross Johnson announced that Troy Roberto, 55, of Hewitt, was charged after investigators received a report in March 2026 of alleged inappropriate behavior involving the defendant and a 16-year-old victim.
According to authorities, the investigation determined that on multiple occasions beginning in December 2025 in Mendham Township, Roberto allegedly sexually assaulted the victim and exchanged sexually explicit images.
Roberto, who works as an equestrian trainer and riding coach, was charged with three counts of second-degree sexual assault, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child for possession of child sexual abuse materials, third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance and third-degree certain persons not to possess ammunition.
Authorities said Roberto was arrested March 10 in Atlantic County. At the time of his arrest, he was allegedly found in possession of six alprazolam pills without a prescription.
A search warrant executed on his vehicle led to the discovery of 36 rounds of ammunition, officials said.
Roberto was transported to the Morris County Correctional Facility, where he remains detained pending future court proceedings under the state’s Criminal Justice Reform Act.
The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional information was released.
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit at 973-285-6200.
