Tenafly council president arrested on child pornography charges

The Tenafly borough council president and his son were arrested on charges of child pornography yesterday, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced.

Jeffrey Grossman, 65, Tenafly’s council president and a middle school social studies teacher in Rochelle Park, and his son, Steven Grossman, a substitute teacher in Rochelle Park, were both charged with one count each of possessing child pornography, which is a second-degree offense.

Grossman, a Democrat, is on the ballot next month as a candidate for a third term.  There are no Republicans, but two independent candidates are in the race.

The arrests came following an Internet child sexual abuse material investigation, in which investigators with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit found both men used the Internet to view and download child pornography.

Grossman is now facing calls to resign from the borough council.

“We are shocked and appalled by the disturbing charges against Tenafly Council President Jeffrey Grossman,” said State Sen. Gordon Johnson (D-Englewood) and Assemblywomen Shama Haider (D-Tenafly) and Ellen Park (D-Englewood Cliffs).  “Due to the serious nature of these allegations, it is in the best interest of Tenafly residents that Mr. Grossman immediately resign his position on the council.”

Haider is also the Tenafly Democratic municipal chair.

It is likely too late for Grossman to drop out of the race; vote-by-mail ballots were sent out in September, and more than 200 votes have already been cast.

If Grossman wins, it would be his choice alone to be sworn into another term on the Tenafly Borough Council.   But a resignation would trigger a vote of the local Democratic county committee to submit three names to the council — and a 2024 special election to fill the unexpired term.

Additionally, both men have been suspended from their jobs teaching in Rochelle Park, the school district’s superintendent Dr. Sue DeNobile announced last night.

“The Board has immediately suspended both employees and directed them that they are prohibited from coming to the school for any reason and are prohibited from contacting any student or staff,” said DeNobile.

Grossman was the 2015 Teacher of the Year.

Both are currently being held at the Bergen County Jail, as they await their court appearances.