Former New Jersey Teacher Accused of Raping Teen Student Sobs in Court as Judge Denies Bail
A former New Jersey middle school teacher arrested last month for raping one of his students cried after a judge ruled he would remain in prison until his case was resolved.
Video footage of the bail hearing in Gloucester County Court is available at: Us Weekly, Ashley Fisler Judge seen covering mouth with hands in shock William Ziegler He explained that he felt the married former educator posed a risk to society at large.
Fisler, 36, was seen wiping tears from her eyes and pouting as the judge spoke at her hearing on Wednesday, April 1. He was also seen rocking back and forth to comfort himself.
Fisler is charged with six counts of first-degree sexual assault of a minor, one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and one count of second-degree official misconduct.
Fisler was arrested after the victim reported the allegations to police on January 23. The victim, now an adult, said she was sexually assaulted six times by Fisler while she was a student in his class at Orchard Valley Middle School.
He turned 14 in 2021 at the time of the sexual abuse allegations.
Investigators said they obtained 7,500 pages of incriminating text messages between Fisler and the victim, confirming the sexual nature of their relationship.
He allegedly had sexual intercourse with the student in his car and in his classroom at school.
Fisler allegedly continued contact with the boy after the rape and asked him to talk about sexual relationships he had with girls his own age.
According to the messages, the woman also offered to buy him a sex toy and clean his private parts, police said.
In the message he sent on January 2, 2025, Young told Fisler: “I have to work really hard to rebuild the things you broke inside me. You destroyed the things inside me. You deprived me of my innocence.”
Fisler, who left teaching in 2023, did not contest the charges he faced.
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New York Post reported his lawyer, Rocco Cipparoneargued that the texts showed that the alleged victim in this case was not a “baby in the woods.”
“He doesn’t text like a child…his texts are as clear and direct as I’ve ever seen from an adult,” Cipparone said. “I’m not saying he isn’t that age, but this isn’t a baby-in-the-woods scenario. [the prosecutor] creates from the perspective of risk and danger.”
He will appear in court again on May 14.
Each first-degree charge he faces carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while he could face a maximum of 10 years in prison for each second-degree charge.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, get in touch National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
