A New Jersey high school teacher is currently facing accusations of sexually assaulting one of her students multiple times earlier this year – including in her car. Julie Rizzitello, who resigned from her position as a teacher at Wall High School, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, three counts of criminal sexual contact, and witness tampering, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran in a joint statement.
Rizzitello, 36, allegedly engaged in multiple sexual encounters with an 18-year-old student between April and June 14th, as detailed in an affidavit of probable cause obtained by NJ.com. The pair are said to have engaged in sexual acts in her car in Brick on May 14th, after which she allegedly sent him nude photos.
The court document and prosecutors also allege that Rizzitello and the teen had sexual contact in Belmar and Wall, and shared numerous sexual communications with each other.
Before her resignation, Rizzitello taught ninth grade English and SAT prep at Wall High School according to her now-deleted school profile page. She was hired by the Wall Township Public Schools in 2013 and earned a salary of $62,000, as shown by state pension records.
Rizzitello is currently being held in Monmouth County Jail in Freehold Township while she awaits her detention hearing on Wednesday. This comes shortly after another teacher from Monmouth County was charged with sexually assaulting a student. Allison Havemann-Niedrach, 43, a special education teacher at Freehold Intermediate School, was arrested last week and charged with aggravated sexual assault and child welfare endangerment.
