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Long Branch schools sued by two who claim they were sexually abused by former teachers

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Long Branch schools sued by two who claim they were sexually abused by former teachers

LONG BRANCH – Two more lawsuits have been filed against the school district alleging sexual abuse by former teachers.

The latest lawsuit was filed Jan. 8 in state Superior Court in Freehold by the guardians of the fourth victim of Gustavo Barrientos, a former high school teacher convicted here of sexually abusing minors. They have come forward and sued Barrientos, the Long Branch Board of Education and the George L. Catrambone Elementary School where he taught and where the attacks occurred.

Also named as suspects are several individuals or entities listed in court documents simply as “John Does.”

The second suit was filed last month in Freehold by a now 47-year-old Ocean Township man who claims he was sexually abused in 1992 and 1993 by former substitute Steven Willis. He is the second former student to file a lawsuit against the district. involving Willis.

Gustavo Barrientos, a former Long Branch elementary school teacher, looks at one of his accusers as she reads her victim impact statement. Barrientos was convicted of sexual assault.

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Barrientos received a nine-year prison sentence, followed by an additional eight years in prison, along with fines and life parole for child endangerment and inappropriate behavior with children.

Barrientos was accused by four victims, all of whom were previously his fourth- and fifth-grade students for several years. The victims were between 9 and 10 years old at the time of the incidents.

He was convicted in August, and the following month the guardians of three of the victims filed separate lawsuits against Barrientos, his employer the BOE, the Catrambone school and several individuals or entities referred to simply as “John Does.”

The four victims, identified in court documents only by their initials, are seeking an undisclosed monetary amount for compensatory damages, court and attorney fees and punitive damages. Each is represented by attorney Zlata Rudikh of Rudikh and Associates in Old Bridge.

Rudikh could not be reached for comment. The school district did not comment.

According to the lawsuits, the guardians each claim the victims were “severely and permanently injured” by Barrientos’ actions. The guardians also allege that the injuries were caused “solely and entirely by the intentional acts and omissions, negligence and carelessness” of each of the defendants, all of whom the guardians allege had a duty to protect the victims.

Barrientos, 56, who lives in Tinton Falls, was arrested in February 2021 and charged with sexual assault of a 10-year-old victim. Shortly after his arrest, three more victims came forward.

Willis, who now lives in Atlantic City according to court documents, has not been criminally charged on either sexual assault charge. Public records indicate he is 66 years old. The Asbury Park Press could not reach him for comment.

In December, a 47-year-old Ocean Township man filed the lawsuit with the initials JR. According to court documents, his identity has been concealed due to allegations of sexual abuse when he was a child. JR claims he met Willis when JR was living in Neptune and attending the Long Branch summer school program in 1992, and Willis was a teacher in the program. Willis then convinced JR’s mother, uncle and aunt to let JR, whose stepfather had recently died, live in his Long Branch home so the youth could remain in the school district.

According to court documents, the alleged sexual abuse occurred at that time. JR was 16 years of age or younger when the alleged abuse occurred, which complaints also involved underage consumption of alcohol and cannabis given to JR by Willis. JR is represented by Robert Fuggi Jr., of the Fuggi law firm in Toms River.

JR’s cousin also filed a lawsuit in 2021 that is still pending against the school alleging child sexual abuse by Willis between the years 1992 and 1994, when he was a minor and a student at Long Branch Public Schools. His cousin is identified in court documents as ER and is represented by the Herman Law Firm in New York City.

In both lawsuits, the plaintiffs are seeking an undisclosed monetary amount for compensatory and punitive damages, interest and attorneys’ fees.

When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel isn’t reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Long Branch schools sued by two who allege they were sexually abused by former teachers

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