Former Point Pleasant High School Substitute Sent Nudes To Student: Prosecutor

POINT PLEASANT, NJ — A former Point Pleasant High School substitute teacher has been accused of sending nude photos and sexual texts to a student, and then telling her to delete them after he was fired from the school, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Friday.

Matthew C. Marinelli, 23, of Point Pleasant, was arrested Friday and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and witness tampering in connection with the incidents in April and May, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Marinelli is accused of sending nude photos of himself to a student in one of his classes, and engaging in "communications that were sexual in nature" through messaging apps with the student, Billhimer said.

Authorities did not say how they learned about the photos and sexual messages.

Marinelli was fired from his position as a substitute teacher, authorities said, but did not say when he was fired. After he was fired, Marinelli contacted the victim "multiple times" asking her to deny she had contact with him and asking her to delete the photos and messages, Billhimer said.

A search warrant was executed at Marinelli's home on Friday and multiple electronic devices were seized and Marinelli was arrested, Billhimer said.

Marinelli is being held at the Ocean County Jail in Toms River 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.

Anyone with additional information regarding Marinelli or the investigation is urged to contact Detective Jason LaRaia of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, ext. 3758.

Billhimer said 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 collaborated on the investigation.