A former New Jersey high school English teacher confessed to sexually assaulting two of her former teenage students.
Julie Rizzitello, 37, who had previously worked at Wall Township High School, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree sexual assault for incidents that began in 2017, according to a Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office news release. Prosecutors are expected to seek a 10-year prison term and mandatory registration as a sex offender when Rizzitello is sentenced on January 9, 2026.
Rizzitello was arrested in July 2024 on accusations that she sexually assaulted and carried out relationships with students in three New Jersey townships.
“The actions of this former teacher represent a betrayal and trust, not only to the victims, but to the entire school community,” Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran said via the Coast Star. “I commend the courage of those who came forward and the dedication of our officers and partner agencies in bringing this case to justice. Protecting our youth is among our highest priority.”
Rizzitello was reported to have had multiple sexual encounters with an 18-year-old student between April and June 2024, which included having sex in the student’s car, sending him nude photos and trading “numerous” sexual messages while also meeting up in Brick, Belmar and Wall townships. The former teacher was later accused of having sex with another student multiple times from 2017 to 2018 after her arrest.
Rizzitello had previously taught ninth-grade English and SAT prep at Wall High School and resigned days prior to her arrest.
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