Chester teacher charged after alleged sexual texts to 13-year-old
CHESTER, NJ — A Chester-area teacher has been charged after investigators say she sent sexual and suggestive text messages to a 13-year-old former student over more than a year, prompting her suspension and detention Monday.
Lorri Ann Willis, 45, of Hackettstown, was charged Monday with one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a second-degree offense, and one count of Luring, also a second-degree offense, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office said. The Chester Police Department reported that the alleged text conversations occurred from June 2024 through October and involved a 13-year-old student formerly enrolled at Black River Middle School.
The prosecutor’s Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit and Chester police investigated after a complaint was received in October. Willis was suspended from her teaching position and, under the Criminal Justice Reform Act, was detained in the Morris County Correctional Facility pending future court proceedings.
Officials urged anyone with information about the investigation to contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6200. The prosecutor’s office noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Key Points
- A Chester teacher was charged Monday with endangering the welfare of a child and luring related to alleged text messages with a 13-year-old
- The alleged messages span June 2024 through October and prompted a suspension and detention of the suspect
- The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and Chester Police handled the investigation and requested tips from the public at 973-285-6200