Jackson teacher, jailed for sexual relationship with student, faces child porn charge
A Jackson middle school math teacher and high school assistant track coach accused of having a sexual relationship with a student, was also charged on Thursday with possession of child pornography and an additional count of endangering the welfare of a child, announced Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
Andrew James Fantasia, 27, of Beachwood, was previously charged last week with endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated criminal sexual contact and official misconduct, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Fantasia, a math teacher at Goetz Middle School teacher who also serves as a coach and club adviser at Jackson Memorial High School, instructed the female student to send him nude photos.
Related: 'They should have waited until she was no longer a student,' Jackson teacher told accuser
Criminal complaints allege that Fantasia engaged in inappropriate contact with the victim between February and June of this year.
A full forensic analysis of Fantasia’s electronic devices, conducted by the High Tech Crime Unit of the Prosecutor’s Office, found nude images of the victim on Fantasia’s mobile phone. On Wednesday, Fantasia was served with the additional charges at the Ocean County Jail, where he is being detained, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Previously: Jackson middle school teacher/coach arrested on child sex charges
During their investigation, authorities discovered that Fantasia had requested nude photos from the victim.
On Oct. 25, detectives from the Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit, Jackson Police and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations Unit, executed a search warrant at Fantasia’s home, at which time Fantasia’s electronic devices were seized.
Fantasia has been a math teacher at the middle school since September 2021 and receives an annual salary of $60,087. He also was Jackson Memorial High School’s assistant track coach and the club adviser to the high school’s mock trial team.
Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Child porn charge for Jackson NJ teacher accused of sex with student
