Perth Amboy Substitute Teacher Charged with Student Sex Assault

A substitute teacher at Perth Amboy High School is being held on $100,000 bail after being charged with the repeated sexual assault of a female student, according to a statement by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.

Anthony Morales, 29, of Perth Amboy also was charged with endangering the welfare of the child for having relations with the girl at his home on a number of occasions between November, 2011 and February, 2013.

The defendant, who began working for the Perth Amboy school system in 2006, was being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick.

He was charged on March 21 following an investigation by Detective Rafaelito Cruz of the Perth Amboy Police Department and Investigator James Kelly of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

During the investigation it was determined that Morales developed a relationship with the girl, who is now 17 years old.

Morales had been working at the high school as a substitute teacher. He previously worked full time for the school system, but was released due to budgetary constraints before returning as a part-time substitute. He began his career as a middle school Spanish teacher.

Since he is not a full-time teacher, he cannot be suspended from his job, but was removed from a list of substitute teachers, the prosecutor's office said. His last day of work was on January 9, 2013.

The investigation is continuing.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Cruz of the Perth Amboy Police Department at 732-442-4400, or Investigator Kelly of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3300.

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