Sex assault charges against NJ teacher dismissed

TRENTON, NJ (WTXF) - Charges against a teacher in Trenton, New Jersey have been dismissed, according to Mercer County officials. Authorities have since dropped the charges, citing insufficient evidence.

45-year-old Robert Ciaccia wants the world to know his name is cleared after prosecutors dropped charges he sexually assaulted a 9-year-old female student.

"I feel good that I'm kind of vindicated and that I'm going to be able to have my job and go back and teach. But I also feel there's a lot of emotions going on inside," he told FOX 29.

Ciaccia says he's been a 4th grade teacher at Franklin Elementary School in Trenton since 2001.

"I've been teaching for almost 18 years now. I graduated college in 1995 and started teaching and I've never had anything like this," he explained.

In June, he says Mercer County Sheriff's deputies picked him up after the girl accused him of groping her.

Ciaccia says the girl not only made it up but also told classmates after he talked to her dad about missing homework.

He'll never forget when the cops came for him.

"They came to the school and they took me out to the car. They were gentlemen, they took me out to the vehicle before they put the cuffs on me. But that's when it gets real when you are cuffed up," he said. "You're hands are behind your back and you're on your knees in a police vehicle and then they take you to the jail and they put you behind bars."

The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office tells FOX 29 the charges were dismissed due to insufficient evidence.