Former teacher at ocean county school charged with child endangerment

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ—Douglas Bollinger, 56, from Neptune City, has been charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of criminal sexual contact, as announced by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer on Tuesday. The charges stem from incidents that occurred between February and August 2019.

Bollinger, who was a teacher at the Ocean County Performing Arts Academy, allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with a female student at locations in Point Pleasant Beach and Asbury Park. The investigation was conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit.

The arrest took place on Tuesday at Bollinger’s home by the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Following his arrest, he was taken to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains pending a detention hearing.

Prosecutor Billhimer emphasized the importance of parental vigilance, urging those whose children were taught by Bollinger to discuss any concerns with them and report any additional information. Detective Nicole Testa at the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office is handling further inquiries.

The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Lakehurst Police Department, Manchester Township Police Department, Point Pleasant Beach Police Department, Asbury Park Police Department, and the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Billhimer acknowledged their collaborative efforts in the investigation.

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