Former Garden State Equality Executive Director Christian Fuscarino pled guilty March 26 to one count of endangering the welfare of a child by a caretaker, and the two simple assault charges he was also facing were dropped. Fuscarino, who was accused of assaulting his foster child in November 2025, entered the plea at a pre-indictment conference before New Jersey Superior Court Judge Jill G. O’Malley, sitting in Freehold, Monmouth County.
Under the terms of the plea deal, Fuscarino agreed to enter a pre-trial intervention, or PTI, program for a period of two years and to undergo mental health treatment until he is legally, clinically, and medically discharged. He must also maintain employment and not have contact with his former foster child, a boy identified by the court only as “C.K.”, until the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency allows contact.
Attorneys representing Fuscarino, Mitchell Ansell and Hoda Soliman of Ansell, Grimm & Aaron PC, said their client “made a poor parenting decision for which he took full accountability, including self-reporting the incident.”
“As a result of today’s court proceeding, and consistent with the findings that no physical injury was found, the disorderly persons simple assault charges have been dismissed, and Mr. Fuscarino has been admitted” into the PTI program. “We fully anticipate that he will successfully complete this program and the remaining charge, which was downgraded from (a) second-degree to (a) third-degree offense, will be dismissed at its conclusion.
“This has been an incredibly difficult period for Mr. Fuscarino and his family. Throughout this process, he has remained focused on taking responsibility, complying fully with the court, and prioritizing his family’s well-being. “We ask that the privacy of his family be respected as he moves forward,” the statement said.
According to the affidavit of probable cause:
- On Nov. 9, 2025, at his home in Neptune City, Fuscarino pulled the boy from bed and appeared to strike him multiple times across the face, then pushed him against the bedroom wall. Fuscarino appeared to stop and speak to the boy before striking him again.
- On Nov. 20, 2025, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office received a referral concerning the abuse of a boy, residing in Neptune City. The boy’s name and age were redacted.
- The incident was recorded on a home video system.
- Arrangements were made to bring the boy to the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center for a forensic interview. The boy was accompanied by his other foster parent, whose name was redacted. Fuscarino and the other parent have maintained separate residences as of November 2024. The interview was conducted with no disclosure of physical abuse.
- Another resident of the home, whose name was redacted, gave a formal statement on Nov. 20, 2025, and confirmed he saw Fuscarino hit the boy and intervened.
- Some time after the incident, Fuscarino informed his resource worker that there was an episode of physical contact between him and the boy but did not provide details.
- As a result, someone, whose name was redacted, was contacted to inquire if he was aware of any physical abuse of the child in the home. That person confirmed there had been an incident and that it had been captured on video.
- DCP&P acquired the video and contacted the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
Neptune City police arrested Fuscarino, 35, who led the LGBTQ civil rights organization since 2016, on Nov. 21. He was charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child by a caretaker and two counts of simple assault. NJ Advance Media broke the story and first reported the allegations on Dec. 16. Fuscarino said in a Facebook post that he resigned from the organization on that day.
GSE said in a statement that it placed Fuscarino on leave “immediately” after it learned of the incident. The organization did not say exactly when it learned of the incident. Acting Executive Director Brielle Winslow-Majette previously told Out in Jersey that she was named acting executive director in December.
Asked about the boy’s current well-being and whether he is with another foster family, Jason Butkowski, director of communications for the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, said the agency could not comment, citing confidentiality statutes.
