Jackson middle school teacher released from Ocean County Jail with restrictions

TOMS RIVER - A Jackson schoolteacher accused of molesting a student during her senior year was ordered released from the Ocean County Jail Friday to await trial, but with restrictions that include no contact with the victim or her family, no unsupervised contact with minors and a bar from school property without written permission from the Jackson Board of Education.

Superior Court Judge Rochelle Gizinski, in ordering the release of Andrew J. Fantasia under weekly court monitoring, noted the 27-year-old middle school teacher's clean prior record.

"In short, other than these charges, he has had no contact with the criminal justice system,'' Gizinski said of Fantasia, a mathematics teacher at Goetz Middle School in Jackson and assistant track coach at Jackson Memorial High School and student advisor to the high school's mock trial team.

"The court believes that he does not necessarily present a danger to the public and that there are, in fact, conditions which the court can impose, based upon all considerations, that meet the public safety concerns,'' she said.

Victoria Veni, assistant Ocean County prosecutor, asked Gizinksi to order Fantasia held without bail to await trial on charges that include child endangerment, official misconduct and aggravated criminal sexual contact.

"The defendant was the victim's teacher, the victim’s coach,'' Veni said. "She trusted him. She idolized him, and he took advantage of a child.''

Fantasia was arrested Oct. 25 after the accuser's father went to the police and reported that his daughter told him Fantasia had an inappropriate relationship with her from February through June, during her senior year of high school, when she was 17.

"He manipulated her into believing that she wanted this relationship,'' Veni told the judge. "She would do anything to impress him, and he had indicated, 'We'll wait until you're 18,' but he did not. When she was 17, an inappropriate relationship developed that went far beyond a student-teacher relationship.''

Veni alleged there were multiple incidents, on and off school property, in and out of the classroom, where Fantasia molested the girl.

"When he tried to advance the relationship even further, she would try to say things to get away, such as, 'little kid with a curfew,' and he continued,'' the assistant prosecutor said.

Fantasia also had the girl take nude photographs of herself and send them to him.

"This relationship took a very bad toll on the victim, your honor, both her physical and mental well-being,'' Veni said. "It ruined her senior year of high school, and she's still affected by this.''

Fantasia's attorney, Edward Kownacki of the Public Defender's Office, said there was a presumption under state law that his client be released from jail to await trial. He said a public-safety assessment of Fantasia gave him the lowest possible scores on risk to the community if he were to be released.

Fantasia is a native of New Jersey who has lived in Ocean County all but two of his 27 years, Kownacki said. He is a graduate of Central Regional High School who went on to Stockton University to earn a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a master's degree in education, the defense attorney said. "We are asking you to release Mr. Fantasia and give him an opportunity to defend himself against these charges,'' Kownacki said to the judge.

Fantasia was initially charged upon his arrest with official misconduct, aggravated criminal sexual contact and child endangerment by engaging in sexual conduct that would impair or debauch the morals of a child.

After authorities conducted full forensic examinations of Fantasia's electronic devices, they lodged additional charges Thursday related to alleged pornography found on them - another child endangerment charge and sexual exploitation of a minor.

Upon his arrest on Oct. 25, the Jackson Board of Education suspended Fantasia from his $60,087-a-year job as a teacher at Goetz Middle School and barred him from school property.

Gizinski told Fantasia he can only return to school property with written permission from the Jackson Board of Education and, if he needs to return to school to retrieve personal belongings, the school board may require him to go there with a police escort.

Gizinski also barred Fantasia from using social media platforms and from leaving the country without written permission from a judge overseeing the case.

He must report to court staff once every other week by telephone and once every week in person while he awaits trial, the judge ordered.

Gizinski scheduled Fantasia's next court appearance for Dec. 11 before Superior Court Judge Dina Vicari.

Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Ocean County NJ: Jackson teacher released, awaits trial