🔻 NJ teacher faces new criminal charges

🔻 Man now accused of sexual relationship with student

🔻 Charges added beyond child pornography

A 55-year-old middle school science teacher in Edison arrested for child pornography months ago has been hit with more charges — including kidnapping and aggravated criminal sexual contact.

Julius Coaccioli, of Woodbridge, was now accused of having a sexual relationship with a juvenile male middle school student in 2013, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced on Thursday.

The new charges were filed after investigators combed through a “voluminous amount of data” on electronic devices seized from the home of Coaccioli in late summer.

middlesex county
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🔻 NJ teacher busted in August

Coaccioli was initially charged with third-degree possession of child pornography, after law enforcement raided his home and seized devices on August 30.

At that point, the educator at Woodrow Wilson Middle School was placed on administrative leave and barred from all school grounds, according to Edison Superintendent of Schools Edward Aldarelli.

Woodrow Wilson Middle School , Edison (Google Maps) (1)
Woodrow Wilson Middle School , Edison (Google Maps)
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"Upon receiving notification from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office regarding the arrest of one of our staff members, the district took immediate action," Aldarelli previously said in an email to New Jersey 101.5, adding "The safety and security of our students continues to be our top priority."

On Friday, school officials confirmed that those measures remained in place.

As of December, Coaccioli was now charged with first-degree counts of manufacturing child pornography and kidnapping, as well as second-degree counts of endangering the welfare of a child and possession of child pornography.

He also faced third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact and fourth-degree stalking.

Coaccioli accused of 'grooming' student, groping in school

According to an affidavit of probable cause, investigators searching electronic devices seized from Coaccioli's home found over 1,000 more images of child sexual abuse material.

Among them were screenshots from a video chat with a teen boy, wearing only his underwear.

The teen was found to have been a sixth grade student of Coaccioli's in 2013.

When interviewed by police recently, he told them that his teacher had started buying him gifts and telling him he loved him, in an inappropriate relationship that unfolded over the next couple of years.

Coaccioli even used tape to mark a box on the floor, in a far corner of his classroom, according to the affidavit, telling the teen he could stand there and no one could see them from the doorway, hugging.

The teen told police that his teacher groped him on a number of occasions and kissed him, always standing in the same spot in his classroom.

There was also repeated talk of masturbation and video calls, in which Coaccioli instructed the teen to wear just his underwear.

Once the student had reached high school, he said he realized how inappropriate the relationship was and he stopped communicating with Coaccioli.

The teacher continued to try and email and chat, leading to the juvenile blocking him.

He also noticed Coaccioli driving past his house, often, he told police, until he moved from his town last year.

Police have said Coaccioli's device history showed that he Google searched the teen's name 66 times, in a five-year span.

Middlesex County child porn arrests (Middlesex County Prosecutor's office, Canva)
(Middlesex County Prosecutor's office, Canva)
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On Thursday evening, Coaccioli was being held at Middlesex County jail, pending a detention hearing.

Anyone with information on the active investigation was asked to call Detective Kenneth McGarry of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3140.

NJ 'perv' teachers, coaches busted in the past two years

There have been a number of educators, coaches and private teachers facing criminal charges for sexual offenses around New Jersey, between 2023 and 2022 alone.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

NJ teachers and educators caught in sex crime busts

Over the past several years, state lawmakers have dealt with accused child predators among ranks of teachers and educators.

The following individuals were arrested and charged in 2021 and several years earlier. Some were convicted and sentenced to prison. Others have accepted plea deals for probation and some cases were still pending.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

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