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Matthew Marinelli, 23, of Point Pleasant Borough, was charged with child endangerment and witness tampering in the case, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit determined that Marinelli — while employed as a substitute teacher at Point Pleasant Borough High School — sent nude photographs of himself and engaged in communications that were sexual in nature with a student in one of his classes, Billhimer said.
The communications were made through internet messaging applications. The investigation also revealed that after being terminated from his employment at the high school, Marinelli contacted the victim multiple times asking that she deny having contact with him, and to delete any communications and photographs he had sent to her, Billhimer said.
On Friday, July 7, detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, Ocean County
Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit
executed a court-authorized search warrant at Marinelli’s residence.
As a result, detectives seized multiple electronic devices that Marinelli possessed at the residence.
Marinelli was taken into custody and taken to the Ocean County Jail, where he is currently lodged pending a detention hearing.
“I would encourage parents to have a conversation with their children if they had Mr. Marinelli as a substitute teacher at Point Pleasant Borough High School," Billhimer said.
If anyone has additional information regarding Marinelli or this investigation, contact Detective Jason LaRaia of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732- 929-2027, extension 3758.
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