Several new charges filed against suspended Hopewell teacher

HOPEWELL, Pa. — A suspended Hopewell Area High School teacher charged with sexting and fondling a student faces new charges that accuse him of committing the same offenses against another student.

The state Attorney General's Office on Wednesday charged Joseph Rubino, 37, of Hopewell, with five felonies and one misdemeanor including indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor and criminal solicitation to commit sexual abuse of children.

"A second set of criminal charges were filed regarding a second alleged victim from the same time frame as the last time," defense attorney Steven Valsamidis said.

In the latest charges, the Attorney General's Office accuses Rubino of sending sexually graphic text messages to a student beginning in her junior year through her senior year. The girl is now 20.

A criminal complaint said Rubino promised the girl tickets to a Steelers game if she would send him explicit pictures of herself and that he bought her a $50 gift certificate for Victoria's Secret for her 18th birthday. The complaint also said Rubino fondled the girl in a classroom.

"Everything that's in the complaint refers to incidents occurring at the school," Valsamidis said.

Police in January charged Rubino with nine felony counts, including child pornography possession and indecent assault, after a student said Rubino sexted her or fondled her when she was a sophomore and continued to do so through her senior year. Rubino, who said he plans on fighting all the allegations, awaits trial on those charges.

The district suspended Rubino without pay last year as an investigation into the accusations continued. Rubino remains free on a $10,000 unsecured bond District Judge Janet Swihart set Wednesday. He faces a preliminary hearing April 4.

State Attorney General Kathleen Kane said in a statement that the investigation of Rubino continues and that anyone with information should contact Special Agent Lee Yingling at 724-433-5316.

This article was written by Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE  contributed to this report.

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