A New Jersey middle school teacher accused of raping a former student burst into tears as a judge denied her request for bail.
Ashley Fisler, 36, was arrested last month after her alleged victim, now a young adult, claimed they were in a sexual relationship in 2021 while he was her student.
Fisler, who appeared before the court via video call from Salem County Jail, erupted into tears Wednesday as the judge ruled that she remain behind bars until her trial.
The former Orchard Valley Middle School teacher could be seen holding her hands over her mouth and wiping her eyes as the judge stated how her release would pose a risk to public safety.
The judge cited how she ‘was able to surreptitiously keep this relationship between herself and the victim private, that is, she hid the relationship from her husband, other people and all others, and continued this relationship knowing his precise age.’
Fisler grimaced and rocked back-and-forth as the ruling was read out, with the judge noting how she successfully ‘covered her tracks’ for five years.
He added that the case against her was ‘strong’ and the ‘offences charged are significant,’ before concluding that Fisler ‘must be detained.’
Fisler is charged with six counts of aggravated assault, official misconduct and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child by sexual conduct. She denied the allegations in a statement to authorities on March 19.
Ashley Fisler, 36, was arrested last month after her alleged victim, now a young adult, claimed they were in a sexual relationship in 2021 while he was her student
Fisler, who appeared before the court via video call from Salem County Jail, erupted into tears Wednesday as the judge ruled that she remain behind bars until her trial
Fisler had sex with the student six times when he was a student in her 8th grade social studies classroom, prosecutors allege. The boy was aged 13 and 14 at the time.
The alleged victim described numerous sexual encounters with Fisler in her vehicle and classroom to authorities in January after police launched an investigation into her alleged misconduct.
He alleged they had intercourse at least twice in her car outside of her apartment, the prosecution said during Wednesday’s bail hearing.
The victim also claimed they had oral sex four times, twice of which occurred in her middle school classroom, the court heard.
Fisler shared inappropriate text messages with the alleged victim, including sending him nude photographs, investigators claimed in an affidavit.
Prosecutors have more than 7,500 pages of disturbing messages between the pair, the court heard. Many of the messages reportedly featured photographs or graphic sex descriptions.
‘This was more than just six isolated and aberrant acts of sexual abuse against a minor,’ Prosecutor Kylie Finley told the judge, according to Court TV.
‘This was a pattern of six years of grooming, manipulation and abuse by this defendant as a middle school teacher against one of her active and then former students.’
Fisler could be seen holding her hands over her mouth and wiping her eyes as the judge stated how her release would pose a risk to public safety
The judge cited how Fisler ‘was able to surreptitiously keep this relationship between herself and the victim private, that is, she hid the relationship from her husband, other people and all others, and continued this relationship knowing his precise age’
Fisler is charged with six counts of aggravated assault, official misconduct and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child by sexual conduct. She denied the allegations in a statement to authorities on March 19
Although the sexual activity allegedly occurred in 2021 and 2022, Finley said the relationship continued over messaging for several years.
Citing an alleged conversation between the pair from December 2023, the prosecutor noted how the victim confided in Fisler that ‘he’s struggling in school because he’s getting erections more frequently in school.’
‘The defendant’s response was, “Oh my God, that’s fantastic”,’ Finley said.
In another text, the student accused Fisler of leaving him mentally broken.
‘You destroyed things inside of me. You stripped me of my innocence,’ he wrote her, according to the prosecution.
Fisler’s attorney Rocco Cipparone, who claimed he spent all of Tuesday reviewing the text messages, argued the ‘selective, salacious texts that were recited by the prosecution lack context.’
He also claimed the alleged victim in the case contacted an attorney before taking his case to police, which he argued suggests ‘there’s a potential monetary motive here.’
Fisler, who spoke only during Wednesday’s hearing to confirm her name, has no prior criminal record and, according to her attorney, is not a flight risk.
Cipparone said he plans to appeal the bond ruling.
Ashley Fisler poses for a kiss with her husband Paul. The couple live together in New Jersey
Fisler began her nine-year career with the Washington Township school district in 2014 and remained there until her separation in April 2023.
She no longer works as a teacher and instead runs an online clothing business, the court heard. She also assists with her family’s tree business.
If convicted, Fisler faces up to 20 years behind bars. She faces another 10 years for both second-degree charges.
The prosecution has suggested the ongoing investigation into Fisler may unveil additional victims, citing how she allegedly sent inappropriate messages to at least two other students.
The alleged victim also claimed to have heard about a third student being involved with the teacher, Finley added.
