Shawn Feeney EAST BRUNSWICK - An English teacher at East Brunswick High School is facing charges of misconduct and sexual assault involving two females who were students of his at the time.

Shawn Feeney, 31, was arrested Dec. 28 by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, on allegations he had inappropriate relations with two females, ages 16 and 17, over the course of two school years. The arrest came two weeks after East Brunswick school officials suspended Feeney Dec. 15 due to the ongoing investigation.

Feeney is charged with two counts of official misconduct, a second-degree offense, and one count each of sexual assault in the second degree, attempted sexual assault and criminal sexual contact, a fourth-degree offense.

He is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick, on $305,000 bail with no 10-percent option.

Authorities allege that Feeney was involved with the first student between September 2002 and June 2003, when he engaged in various acts of misconduct and/or attempted sexual assault or contact. He then engaged in various acts of misconduct and/or sexual assault and criminal sexual contact with the other student between September 2003 and June 2004, according to the prosecutor's office.

Authorities did not provide details regarding the nature of the allegations.

With both students, the alleged misconduct occurred at the high school and at Feeney's residence in New Brunswick at the time. Feeney has since moved to Highland Park.

The investigation began after one of the victims contacted East Brunswick school officials regarding the allegations. The school district contacted the East Brunswick Police Department, which worked with the county prosecutor's Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit and the New Brunswick Police Department in the investigation.

Feeney has taught at East Brunswick High School since September 2000 and at one time served as the school's newspaper adviser. He taught at Mount Saint Mary's Academy in Watchung before taking the job in East Brunswick.

School officials said confidentiality requirements mandate that the district not release any details about the matter.

"The district is dedicated to protecting every student and is cooperating fully with law enforcement," Superintendent of Schools Jo Ann Magistro said in a brief statement. "The employee has been suspended and will remain so until the conclusion of the legal process."

Feeney is considered by some to be a popular teacher at the high school, as students have in the past ranked him among their favorites. On an independent Web forum where students rate their teachers, Feeney was given labels such as "best teacher ever" and "cutest teacher ever" in posts made prior to his arrest. "Feeney, the legend, the man," one post reads. "There's no student he can't teach, no idea he can't turn into a sports analogy."

Authorities asked that anyone with information related to any similar incidents involving Feeney contact East Brunswick Police Detective Sean Goggins at (732) 390-6990, New Brunswick Detective Scott Gould at (732) 745-5222 or county prosecutor's office Investigator Scott Crocco at (732) 745-3600.