Freehold high school teacher remains jailed in student sex case

⚠️ A Monmouth County judge ordered NJ teacher Jesse Heubel to remain in jail.

➡️ Investigators say Heubel's wife first contacted police after finding explicit texts.

🔴 Prosecutors say the Freehold teacher repeatedly sexually assaulted a student over several months.

FREEHOLD BOROUGH — A Freehold Township High School teacher accused of raping a minor student remains in jail, after his detention hearing

Jesse L. Heubel appeared on Wednesday before Superior Court Judge Marc Lemieux in Monmouth County.

Judge cites safety concerns in detention ruling

Heubel’s wife was the person who first contacted police, Lemieux said in a courtroom video shared by Asbury Park Press.

The judge said there is record that Heubel previously shared thoughts of self harm if he were to “get caught” — and so there is concern not just for his own life but potential violence against Heubel’s wife.

Wife's report launched police investigation

On July 11, Heubel’s wife found text messages of a sexual nature on his phone and contacted Manalapan police.

She then decided to record a conversation as she confronted him, in which the 37-year-old man admitted to sex acts with the teen, investigators said.

The spouse shared both the recording and text messages with detectives.

The same day, the teen’s mother also contacted police about the accusations against Heubel.

Affidavit outlines months of accused sexual assaults

Heubel, a technology teacher at Freehold Township High School, first kissed the young student in a classroom sometime after Thanksgiving last year, according to an affidavit by investigators.

There were several other kisses, before the defendant then had sex with the teen in February, after school in the drama classroom, investigators said.

Over the next several months, there were more than 30 such instances, according to the affidavit.

One of those incidents in June was forcible without consent and against the victim’s protests, the student told police.

Among Heubel’s sexual encounters with the underage student — in a parked car outside the YMCA in Red Bank, following a May awards ceremony where he was honored for helping students with their theater set.

There were also alleged sexual encounters in a vehicle at a parking lot in Manalapan and in Sanford Park in Englishtown.

Teacher removed from classroom after arrest

Heubel is charged with nine second-degree offenses — five counts of sexual assault and four of child endangerment.

The teen was at least 16, but remained younger than 18.

Immediately after his arrest, the teacher was removed from all duties and banned from school property, Freehold Regional High School District Superintendent Nicole Hazel said in a statement sent to the school community.

In addition to his teaching since at least 2015, Heubel also has been a wrestling coach for students.

"The safety and welfare of our students remain our highest priority. We will continue to take all appropriate measures to protect them, and we stand ready to provide support to any student who needs it," Hazel said.

Last year, Heubel ran for Englishtown Borough Council as a Republican but lost in the June primary.

Anyone with potential case information was urged to contact MCPO Detective Julio Casso at 732-431-7160, ext. 2220 or Freehold Township Police Department Detective Tyler Whelan at 732-462-7908.

A request for comment from defense attorney, William E. Wackowski was not immediately answered on Thursday.