Julie Rizzitello ex Wall Township, NJ teacher admits having sex with two students in plea deal as she now faces 10 years jail.
A former New Jersey teacher has copped a plea deal in which she has admitted to having sex with two of her former students.
Julie Rizzitello, 37, of Brick, N.J, agreed to plead guilty to two counts of sexual assault more than a year after she was first charged in the case. The former female educator taught at Wall Township High until July 2024, when she resigned days before her arrest.
Two students told investigators Rizzitello had sex with them while she was teaching at the school. One student said the incidents occurred from 2017 to 2018, while the other said the assaults occurred in 2024, just months before Rizzitello’s arrest.
Ex Wall Township teacher sentenced over emotional turmoil she caused victims
Abuse of position of trust, power and authority
Rizzitello who married in 2017 and who is a young mother, was initially charged with two counts of sex assault, three counts of criminal sexual conduct and one count of witness tampering. She pleaded guilty to the sex assault charges in exchange for the other charges being dropped.
The witness tampering charge stemmed from panicked communications from Rizzitello to one of the victims ahead of her arrest, when she instructed the student to delete nude photos she sent him, according to police.
‘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 told 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.’
Faces ten years jail during sentencing
The former English teacher was hired by the Wall Township Public Schools in 2013, and earned a salary of $62,000, state pension records show.
Rizzitello is likely to face a 10-year prison sentence in the case, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2026. She will also have to register as a sex offender, face lifetime parole supervision and refrain from holding public office.
Not immediately clear is what led to the female educator abusing her position of trust, authority and power and subjugating her male victims.
