A married English teacher in New Jersey, Julie Rizzitello, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing two of her students and becoming pregnant by one of them.
Rizzitello, 37, admitted to two counts of second-degree sexual assault following inappropriate relationships that lasted several months.
Prosecutors said she met one of the victims while he was a freshman at Wall Township High School and engaged in repeated sexual acts with him between 2017 and 2018. During that period, she became pregnant and later had an abortion.
At sentencing, Monmouth County Judge Jill Grace described the case as a clear instance of grooming, stating that the victims were manipulated and exploited by someone in a position of trust.
A statement from one of the victims revealed the long-term emotional and psychological impact of the abuse, including anxiety and academic disruption.
Authorities said Rizzitello used her role as a teacher to isolate the students. She was arrested in 2024 shortly after resigning and allegedly asked the victims to delete evidence from their phones.
She will serve the two 10-year sentences concurrently, remain on parole for life, and must register as a sex offender.
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