A Rancocas Valley Regional High School assistant football coach and teacher’s aide has been charged after juveniles found an unsecured handgun in his car during a football game. Andrew Paden, 40, of Willingboro, allegedly tried to coerce a juvenile into giving false information to authorities, fearing job loss.
Charges against Paden include Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Possession of a Weapon on School Grounds Without Permission, and Witness Tampering. After processing at the Mount Holly Township Police Department, he was released.
A grand jury will consider the case for potential indictment. Meanwhile, the school district has put Paden on administrative leave.
The probe started on October 10 when Mount Holly police received a report from school officials. A student reported witnessing children playing with a handgun in Paden’s car during a junior varsity football game the previous day.
Although the school was closed for a state holiday on the incident day, it was found that Paden had driven some of the students to the game and allowed them access to his car during the event.
The investigation also unveiled Paden’s attempt to persuade a juvenile to say the handgun was a toy firearm brought from his residence to the game.