WALL TEACHER INDICTED FOR ENGAGING IN SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH MINOR STUDENT

Woman Facing Parole Supervision for Life, Megan’s Law Registry, and Prison Time

(FREEHOLD) A Monmouth County grand jury has handed up a three-count indictment charging a Wall Township school teacher with engaging in sexual conduct with a student, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.

Kalee Warnick, 24, of Wall Township, is charged in the indictment with first degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and second degree Sexual Assault. The charges stem from a joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Wall Township Police Department that found she engaged in an inappropriate relationship with her 15-year-old victim beginning in January 2013 while Warnick, then-22, was the victim’s freshman English teacher at Wall High School. The inappropriate relationship with the victim took place in various municipalities in Monmouth County, culminating with an act of sexual penetration in July 2013 while at the Warnick’s Wall Township residence.

If convicted of the second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child and/or Sexual Assault, Warnick faces five to 10 years in a New Jersey state prison on both charges. Warnick would also be required to register for Megan’s Law and subject to Parole Supervision for Life (PSL), the first 5 years of PSL would be subject to the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) sentencing guidelines, meaning if she violates parole within the first five year of her PSLs she would be returned to state prison to serve out whatever time is left on the five-year period of supervision before continuing with PSL.

If convicted of the Aggravated Sexual Assault charge, Warnick faces a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison, subject to the provisions of NERA requiring her to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. She would also be under parole supervision for five years following her release from state prison.

Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Meghan Doyle. Warnick is represented by Alton Kenney, Esq., of Toms River.