Crime & Safety
Teacher Told Wall Student To Delete Texts, Nude Photos: Affidavit
Julie A. Rizzitello, a former teacher at Wall High School, has been charged with sexual assault of her student, authorities said.
![Julie A. Rizzitello of Brick, a former teacher at Wall High School, has been charged with sexual assault of her student, authorities said.](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/22821257/20240708/054616/styles/patch_image/public/legal-handcuffs-gavel-shutterstock-117706552___08173907250.jpg)
BRICK, NJ — A former teacher at Wall Township High School charged with sexually assaulting a student tried to get him to delete photos and messages she sent him, according to court documents.
Julie A. Rizzitello, 36, of Brick Township, remained in the Monmouth County jail on Monday, charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, third-degree witness tampering, and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.
According to the probable cause affidavit, someone from the Wall Township Public Schools contacted Wall Township police to report a possible inappropriate sexual relationship between Rizzitello and a former student.
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Investigators took a formal statement from the student, who told them he had started having a romantic relationship with Rizzitello in April 2024, according to the affidavit.
The student told investigators he had oral and sexual intercourse with Rizzitello on May 18 in Brick his vehicle, and on several other occasions between April and June 14, 2024, in Wall and Belmar in addition to Brick.
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He also told investigators Rizzitello sent him nude photographs of herself following the first time they had sexual intercourse, according to the affidavit.
The former student consented to investigators searching his cell phone and it revealed "numerous communications and photographs" shared between him and Rizzitello that were sexual in nature, the affidavit said. Rizzitello told the student to delete the photos and communications on July 2, the charging documents said.
The former student also had told several of his friends about his relationship with Rizzitello, he told investigators, confirmed that information with the student's friends.
Rizzitello, who had been an English teacher, resigned from her position in the midst of the investigation, authorities said.
She is awaiting a detention hearing.
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