Former Teacher Sentenced for Sexual Assault of Students

A former teacher from New Jersey has been sentenced to ten years in prison for grooming and sexually assaulting two students at her family’s bagel shop. Prosecutors shared the news on Wednesday.

Julie Rizzitello, 37, once taught at Wall High School in Wall Township. She was found guilty during a court session in Monmouth County. Judge Jill G. O’Malley ordered that Rizzitello will spend ten years in state prison, followed by lifetime parole supervision. She must also register as a sex offender, have no contact with her victims, and will not be allowed to teach again.

Rizzitello pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree sexual assault related to incidents that occurred between 2017 and 2024. Prosecutors indicated that her actions happened not just in her home, but also in her vehicle and the family bagel shop, where both victims had worked after she had suggested it.

The investigation, carried out by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and local police, showed that Rizzitello connected with one victim when he was a freshman and the other during his junior year of high school. After creating a trusting relationship, she gradually escalated to sexual activities over several months.

Authorities reported that while the investigation was ongoing, Rizzitello attempted to contact the victims, urging them to delete evidence from their devices.

She was arrested in July 2024, following a tip from a school district employee regarding her relationship with a student. According to police records, the first victim said that sexual encounters occurred in May and June of 2024, including one incident in her car. The second victim, who was 17 at the time of the assaults in 2017 and 2018, later stepped forward, revealing her encounters with Rizzitello. Corroborating messages and photos supported her claims.

During the sentencing, Judge O’Malley referred to a victim impact statement that highlighted the serious emotional harm caused by Rizzitello’s actions. She denied a defense request to shorten the sentence to five years.

Monmouth County Attorney Raymond S. Santiago emphasized that these incidents were not mere misjudgments but rather calculated acts of manipulation and control, harming two young individuals who deserved protection. Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran commended the victims for their bravery in coming forward, acknowledging the challenges they faced in speaking out against someone they should have trusted.

Rizzitello had been employed as an English teacher since 2013, earning around $62,000 annually, before her departure from the school district, which has since stated that they are cooperating fully with law enforcement.