Stuart Middle School teacher arrested, accused of sex with 13-year-old student
Stuart, Fla- Jeffrey Anthony Tomasulo, 29, was arrested Thursday on a sexual battery charge for an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old student.
According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office a seventh-grade math teacher admitted to engaging in sexual behavior with a student in his classroom.
The Sheriff’s office was alerted Tuesday to Tomasulo’s suspicious behavior. This was after several students reported the math teacher tickling their stomachs, thighs and armpits.
Surveillance video taken outside of Tomasulo’s classroom during first period on March 20 showed a 13-year-old seventh grade girl knocking on his door.
At that time, Tomasulo has a planning period and not teaching a class.
Video showed the girl entering his classroom 9:15 a.m. At 9:17 a.m., video shows Tomasulo opening the door and checking the outside handle of the door.
The girl then leaves the room with Tomasulo at 9:27 a.m.
A Martin County sheriff’s detective interviewed the girl’s mother on March 28. The woman said that her daughter said she performed oral sex on Tomasulo in his classroom.
The girl told the detective and a state attorney victim advocate that the teacher asked her “creepy” questions about her virginity.
She said Tomasulo asked her to stay longer after class. Then, occasionally to come to his classroom either during first or last period.
The teen said she felt pressured by him and that’s why she performed oral sex on him approximately five times from Jan. 4 to March 20.
He admitted to watching pornography in his classroom but said he was alone. Finally, Tomasulo told detectives that the girl performed oral sex on him while alone his classroom. He appeared to show little remorse, saying he was simply “an extremely horny male”.
Tomasulo was charged with sexual battery/custodial authority.
He made his first appearance in court Friday morning. Bond was set at $250,000. He remains in jail Friday.
The Martin County School District released a statement on Friday saying they reacted immediately after learning about the allegations and removed Tomasulo from the classroom. Tomasulo has been fired since his arrest.
Tomasulo had been teaching at Stuart Middle for a year. Before that he spent part of the year teaching at Jensen Beach High as a substitute teacher.
March 31, 2018
