New Jersey high school teacher arrested for sexually abusing student

A 36-year-old former high school teacher from New Jersey is accused of repeatedly engaging in sexual acts with a student in three different townships.

The Monmouth County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday that Julie Rizzitello, who resigned from her job at Wall Township High School earlier this week, was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, three counts of criminal sexual contact and witness tampering.

According to prosecutors, Rizzitello’s relationship with the unidentified student began earlier this year and included “various sexual acts” on “multiple occasions and in at least three jurisdictions – Belmar, Brick and Wall.”

The former teacher was arrested on Wednesday and taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution. She has since been charged in both Monmouth County and Ocean County.

She will remain behind bars until her detention hearing.

According to local station Brick Shorebeat, Rizzitello was an English teacher who worked in the Wall Township School District for a decade. She also served as an advisor for numerous clubs.

It is not clear whether the victim was one of her students or a club member.

A profile of the teacher on the district’s website was removed on Thursday.