Essex County Teacher Blames Brain Condition For Alleged Sex Crimes

Nicole Dufault – an Essex County teacher accused of having sexual relations with six underage male students – is pleading an unusual defense in court... a brain condition affected her judgment.

On Tuesday, Dufault’s attorney told NJ.com that his client “suffers from frontal lobe syndrome which has rendered her defenseless to over-aggressive behavior… and that is exactly what she was exposed to.”

Dufault’s attorney added that her brain condition will be a defense to several counts of the criminal indictment.

Prosecutors are charging that Dufault - a Bloomfield native and Caldwell resident who was teaching at Columbia High School in Maplewood - engaged in sexual activity with six boys on multiple occasions between 2013 and 2014, some of which allegedly occurred on school property and in her car.

• See related article: Teacher Charged With Sexually Assaulting Students

Dufault, a mother of two, is facing 40 counts of aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

She pleaded not guilty to all charges in April.

• See related article: Judge Reduces Sex Offense Charges For Caldwell Resident Nicole Dufault