[See update below]
A former Red Bank Charter School teacher faces “multiple” charges of sex-assaults of elementary school children, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office announced Saturday.
The school’s top official said the teacher resigned just three days after he was hired.
From a prepared statement by Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni:
On February 14, 2021, Gustavo Barrientos, a former elementary school teacher in the Long Branch School District and the Red Bank Charter School was charged with sexually assaulting a 10 year old student.
As a result of the continued joint investigation of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Long Branch Police Department, Barrientos has now been charged with sexually assaulting multiple other elementary school children.
Gustavo Barrientos, 53, of Tinton Falls, is currently being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold Township pending a detention hearing.
Investigators are still seeking additional information about Barrientos’ activities. Anyone with any information please contact Detective Sergeant Shawn Murphy of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Bureau at 800-533-7443.or Detective Todd Coleman of the Long Branch Police Department at 732-222-1000.
Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can submit a tip to the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers by calling their confidential telephone tipline at 1-800-671-4400; by downloading and using the free P3 Tips mobile app (available on iOS and Android – https://www.p3tips.com/1182), by calling 800-671-4400 or by going to the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com.
The case is assigned to Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Joseph Cummings of the Office’s Special Victims Bureau.
The announcement gave no information about how long Barrientos worked at the charter school and if any of its students are believed to have been victimized.
[UPDATE: Head of School Kristen Martello told redbankgreen early Saturday afternoon that Barrientos was hired by the board of trustees on September 15, 2020, and resigned three days later. “Our personnel information policies will not allow us to provide any further comment,” she said via email.]
There was no indication of whether any charter school students are believed to be among the alleged victims.
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