JACKSON – A Jackson Township Middle School teacher was indicted by a Grand Jury on several charges after he allegedly asked one of his students to send inappropriate photos, officials said.
Andrew Fantasia, 27, of Beachwood, was indicted on the charges of Possession of Child Pornography, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, two counts of Criminal Sexual Contact, and Official Misconduct, in connection with a series of incidents that occurred between February 2023 and June 2023, in Jackson Township.
Fantasia is a teacher at Carl W. Goetz Middle School and club advisor at Jackson Memorial High School. According to police, he had inappropriate sexual contact with a student on high school property between February 2023 and June 2023.
Authorities later determined that Fantasia had requested nude photos from the victim.
On October 25, 2023, police searched Fantasia’s home and seized multiple electronic devices in Fantasia’s possession. Fantasia was taken into custody and transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he is presently lodged pending a detention hearing.
After a full forensic analysis of Fantasia’s electronic devices, detectives found nude images of the victim on Fantasia’s cell phone.
On November 1, 2023, Fantasia was served with the additional charges of Possession of Child Pornography, as well as a second count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, by way of warrant at the Ocean County Jail. Fantasia has since been released from the Ocean County Jail as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Assistant Prosecutor Victoria Veni who presented the case to the Grand Jury on behalf of the State, and commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Jackson Township Police Department, Jackson Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation.
The charges referenced are merely accusations and the public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The post Ocean County Teacher Indicted For Child Porn appeared first on Jersey Shore Online.
