Former Ocean City Cop Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor

A former Ocean City Police sergeant has pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with a minor and now faces prison and a lifetime on the sex offender registry.

Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland announced a guilty plea in Cape May County Superior Court by Tyrone Rolls, 51, of Marmora, and a former Ocean City Police sergeant who had been with the force for 24 years.

Rolls was initially charged in April 2021 and then indicted in November 2021, as a result of an investigation conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, after it was reported Rolls had a sexual relationship with a female juvenile victim.

Shortly after his arrest, The Press of Atlantic City reported that Rolls served as a youth mentor and was also the co-owner of a youth sports training business.

According to NJ.com at the time of his indictment, a complaint stated,

Rolls ... allegedly began the assaults [of a 15-year-old female] in 2016, before the start of the victim’s sophomore year at Ocean City High School. The encounters allegedly occurred at his home and in Rolls’ patrol vehicle while he was both on and off duty ... The two reportedly had a fight ... in which Rolls hit the victim with an open hand and knocked her to the ground...

On March 2, 2023, Tyrone Rolls plead guilty to the charge of 2nd-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

The guilty plea by Rolls includes a minimum 5-year sentence in state prison, and he must register as a sex offender.  After his state prison term, Rolls will be subject to parole supervision for the rest of his life.