Former N.J. children’s camp director is charged with sexually assaulting teen boy over three months
Tara Rastelli Carr, 46, was accused of luring a teen boy by sending nude photos of herself via Snapchat and sexually assaulting him, authorities said.
The former director of a New Jersey sports complex that hosts programs for children, including a cheerleading camp, was charged with sexually assaulting a teen boy multiple times over three months, authorities said.
Tara Rastelli Carr, 46, of Woodstown, was arrested Thursday and is also charged with luring and endangering the welfare of a child through sexual conduct, records show. She is being held in the Salem County Correctional facility, awaiting a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday, according to court records.
Carr was one of the directors of Rastelli Kids Complex, a children’s recreation complex in Sewell that hosts programs including a cheerleading camp and a summer and day camp.
She is also a member of the Rastelli family, who own Rastelli Food Group, a multimillion-dollar international conglomerate comprised of a network of businesses, including restaurants and markets, e-commerce, and restaurant supplies.
The family also owns the sports complex, where Carr worked as a director until May 2024, said George Polgar, a spokesperson for the Rastelli family.
Between March and May 2024, Carr lured a young boy between the ages of 13 and 16 by sending him sexually explicit messages on Snapchat, including naked pictures of herself, and sexually assaulted him multiple times by performing oral sex on him in the back of her car, according to the probable cause affidavit for her arrest.
Carr would offer the teen a ride to his school and would then drive him to Marlton Park, in Pilesgrove, and assault him in her Chevrolet SUV, according to the affidavit. At least one assault happened in Mannington Township, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, Carr admitted to police that she had picked the teen up from his housing complex multiple times, hugged and kissed him at least once, and would communicate with him via Snapchat, sending the teen nude photos of herself.
Carr’s attorney, Charles Peruto, said his client was innocent and alleged an attempted shakedown by the teen Carr is accused of assaulting and another juvenile as the cause for the charges. The alleged victim of the sexual assault goes to the same school as Carr’s children, he said.
“The allegations are completely and totally false,” said Peruto. “Tara is the victim here. She reported this shakedown from the two juveniles, and I say juveniles because these are gang members with guns.”
At least twice, the two boys threatened Carr with guns, said Peruto, and Carr reported the threats to Woodstown Police. Woodstown Police could not immediately be reached for comment.
Carr served as a director of the Rastelli Kids Complex until May 2024, when the allegations were first reported, said Polgar. As soon as the allegations came to light, Carr was asked to resign from her position and she sent her formal resignation to the American Camp Association, he said.
The teen allegedly assaulted by Carr was not a member of any of the camps held at the sports complex nor had he visited the complex, said Polgar, and Carr’s role as director was primarily as a manager and she was not involved in day-to-day operations. While still in her role as director, Carr would occasionally work at the sports complex, he said, and would sometimes have contact with children.
“Number one, Tara Carr has not been associated with any organized activity having to do with kids,” said Polgar. “The sports center that the family runs and that she was involved in she hasn’t been involved since May of last year. She was one of several people involved in management there. She wasn’t actually involved in any of the cheer programs.”