A teacher who worked for just three days at the Red Bank Charter School in 2020 has been indicted for alleged sexual assaults against four Long Branch elementary school children he taught over the preceding three years, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office said Tuesday evening.
The alleged assaults occurred in school and on class trips, according to an announcement by Acting Prosecutor Lori Linskey.
From the statement:
Gustavo Barrientos, 53, was indicted for one count of first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, three counts of second-degree Sexual Assault, and four counts of second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The charges in this indictment stem from allegations of four of Barrientos’ former students who alleged that during the 2017-2019 school years, Barrientos had sexual contact with them, either inside the school or on class trips.
If convicted, Barrientos faces possible life imprisonment on the aggravated sexual assault charges, and up to 10 years on each of the remaining seven charges, the statement said.
Barrientos, then of Tinton Falls, was arrested a year ago and initially charged with with sexually assaulting a 10 year old student. After an investigation that involved Long Branch police, he was additionally charged with “sexually assaulting multiple other elementary school children,” the MCPO said at the time.
The Red Bank Charter School hired Barrientos on September 15, 2020, and he resigned three days later, Head of School Kristen Martello said in February, 2020, declining further comment.
Martello did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
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