New sex assault charges against ex-Wall teacher involve second student, prosecutor says
FREEHOLD - The new charges filed against a former Wall High School teacher accused of having an affair with one of her students involve allegations of a sexual relationship with a second student, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said Wednesday.
The additional complaints against Julie Rizzitello, 36, of Brick — sexual assault and witness tampering — were revealed at a brief court proceeding Tuesday, although it wasn't clear at that time that they related to a second victim.
Rizzitello was arrested July 3 on charges related to an alleged affair she had with another student from April to mid-June.
Santiago, in a news release announcing the new charges, said a continuing investigation revealed Rizzitello previously had a sexual relationship with a different student, beginning in 2017.
Details of the charges: Wall teacher Julie Rizzitello had sex with pupil in car, sent nude photos, cops say
Santiago said the investigation revealed Rizzitello engaged in various sexual acts with the second victim on multiple occasions in Brick.
The new complaint charging Rizzitello with sexual assault alleges she had intercourse with a 17-year-old pupil on various occasions between Nov. 23, 2017, and Jan. 21, 2018.
That victim told a detective on Monday that he had sex with his teacher in her home, according to an affidavit of probable cause to lodge the new charge against Rizzitello. The victim was able to describe the interior of Rizzitello's home and the locations where the sexual activity took place, the affidavit said.
The victim also provided the detective with pictures and text messages on his phone that corroborated his statement, affidavit said.
The new witness-tampering complaint alleges Rizzitello contacted that victim on July 2 — a day before her arrest — and instructed him to delete the material from his phone.
Rizzitello already had been charged with two counts of sexual assault, three counts of criminal sexual contact and one count of witness tampering related to the first victim, who was over 18 when the affair occurred. Despite that, Rizzitello's alleged activity is a crime because the victim was her student.
Rizzitello has been held in the Monmouth County Jail without bail on those charges since her arrest. Just before her arrest, with an investigation underway, she resigned from her job as a teacher at Wall High School.
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The initial investigation revealed Rizzitello engaged in various sexual acts with the first victim on multiple occasions in at least three jurisdictions — Belmar and Wall in Monmouth County and Brick in Ocean County. Regarding that victim, she is alleged to have had sex with him in his car and at other locations. She also is alleged to have sent the victim nude photos of herself and exchanged numerous sexual photos and communications with him.
Rizzitello faces a hearing Tuesday to determine if she will continue to be held without bail at the Monmouth County Jail to await trial in the case.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about Rizzitello's activities to contact prosecutor's Detective Joe Rodriguez at 800-533-7443 or Wall Detective Devin Corso at 732-449-4500.
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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: Wall teacher had sex with a second student, prosecutor says
