Teacher Liaisons

slacker · December 22, 2006

Irregular News for 12.22.06

New Orleans, LA -- A former J.D. Meisler Middle School teacher has been arrested on allegations of indecent behavior with a 12-year-old student, acts that were caught on videotape, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office arrest report said.

Stephanie Giambelluca, 24, of 1310 West Esplanade Ave., Kenner, was booked Wednesday with molestation of a juvenile, indecent behavior with a juvenile and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the arrest report said. She resigned from Meisler on Monday, said Jeff Nowakowski, spokesman for the Jefferson Parish public school system.

Also arrested was Ryan Mapes, 18, of 3424 West Metairie Ave., Metairie. Mapes is accused of arranging, participating in and videotaping the liaison between the unidentified boy and Giambelluca, who allegedly wanted to have a sexual relationship with the student, according to the arrest report.

Mapes was booked Tuesday with molestation of a juvenile, indecent behavior with a juvenile, possessing sexually explicit images involving a juvenile and distributing drugs to a person younger than 18. Mapes' relationship to the boy was unknown Wednesday.

The Sheriff's Office declined to comment on the case, and neither Giambelluca nor Mapes could not be reached Wednesday.

Giambelluca, who is not related to former Jefferson Parish Councilman and School Board member Nicholas Giambelluca, had been employed at Meisler since Oct. 23, the Sheriff's Office report said.

Nowakowski was unsure of her position and the reason for her resignation. Nowakowski said the school district has not received word about the outcome of the investigation from the Sheriff's Office. But he said the district will perform its own investigation.

According to Mapes' arrest report, the 12-year-old was in his care Dec. 14 at the boy's house. Mapes allegedly allowed the teacher to come to the home, according to the report. Before she arrived, Mapes set up a video camera in the living room. Once the teacher got there, she and the 12-year-old went into another room, the report said. It was not known Wednesday whether anything occurred in the room.

When they returned, Mapes gave the boy one Xanax, a prescription anxiety medication that he took from the teacher's purse, the report said. The woman then took off all of her clothing except for her underwear and performed a sexually suggestive dance for the boy. Then the woman performed oral sex on Mapes in front of the boy, who talked to both of them during the act, the report said.

It was not known who reported the incident to the Sheriff's Office, but detectives have the videotape, the report said.

During questioning, Mapes gave a statement admitting to the sexual acts in front of the boy. He was being held Wednesday without bond at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna. Bond had not yet been set for Giambelluca.

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