TOMS RIVER – The woman who alleges she was raped by her former fire academy instructor will reveal her identify Friday at her attorney’s office, and after making a brief statement will field questions from the press.
The woman, identified only has “A.S.” in court documents, is being represented by Robert R. Fuggi of Fuggi Law Firm in Toms River. He describes his practice as “a leading firm in representation in the #MeToo/Time’s Up movements.”
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office declined to press charges and charges brought by the Lacey Township Police for simple assault and lewdness are still pending, A.S. did secure a permanent restraining order against her alleged attacker.
John Syers was a volunteer instructor at the Ocean County Fire Academy in Waretown, where he first met A.S., who is now a volunteer firefighter with the Seaside Heights Volunteer Fire Company Station 44. According to reports, the two had a “consensual relationship” since April 2018, but broke it off at some point before the alleged Sept. 26 rape. The civil filing also said the two shared a consensual kiss at Syers’ home that morning, but A.S. consensual kiss “withdrew consent for sexual contact.” It was then that the alleged rape and torture happened.
The woman filed a 32-count federal civil lawsuit against Syers, as well as Ocean County officials whom A.S. accused of neglect in hiring Syers. Syers, who is a firefighter in Elizabeth, is being represented by Richard P. Lomurro, a Freehold-based criminal defense attorney. Lomurro told several news outlets his client has social media and text messages that discredit A.S.’s claims. This suit is “the latest of a continuing effort by the accuser to smear Mr. Syers’ reputation and advance a vindictive agenda,” the attorney said in a Monday statement.
