Caldwell resident and teacher at Maplewood Columbia High school teacher Nicole DuFault has been hit with 40 counts in an indictment, accusing her of everything from everything from aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child for alleged sexual encounters with numerous 14 and 15 year old high school students at her school.
Now, her lawyer is claiming previous brain surgery may be a factor in her alleged behavior.
A mother of two young sons, 3 and 5, DuFault watched her children be put into sate custody and her husband leave her, after the scandal broke.
The encounters allegedly occurred over a 2 year span, in her car, and inside the Columbia high school classroom where she taught. One major piece of evidence is a video, reportedly showing the 35-year old teacher giving oral sex to one o the victims, as another teen watched.
But DuFault's lawyer, Tim Smith, said his client had brain surgery before the sexual incidents, and that he believes "DuFault's brain trauma and surgery, which rendered her particularly vulnerable to the students' mentality, will factor significantly in the trial."
Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that an Essex County Grand Jury has indicted Maplewood school teacher Nicole DuFault, 35, of Caldwell on 40 counts of aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child for engaging in sex acts with six male victims.
On Sept. 17, 2014, DuFault, a Columbia High School teacher, was arrested and charged with engaging in sex acts with five male students. By the time the case was presented to the grand jury, a sixth victim was identified. All of the boys were between 14 and 15 years old at the time of the incidents.
Damaging evidence includes a video showing the teacher in specific clothing, performing sexual acts, that investigators later found during a search in her home.
The indictment accuses DuFault of engaging in sexual activity with all six boys on multiple occasions between 2013 and 2014, according to Assistant Prosecutor Gina Iosim, who is handling the case. Some of the sex acts occurred on school property and in her car.
DuFault has been a language arts teacher at Columbia High School for nine years. The divorced mother of two young sons is originally from Bloomfield. Prior to coming to Columbia High School she taught at several other public schools in Passaic and Bergen counties.
DuFault remains free on $500,000 bail. She is scheduled to appear in court on March 6, at 9 am before the Honorable Michael L. Ravin, Judge of the Superior Court.
These are accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they enter a guilty plea or are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
