Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on February 28, 2025, Douglas Bollinger, 57, of Neptune City, was sentenced by the Honorable Dina M. Vicari, J.S.C., to Parole Supervision for Life relative to his previously entered guilty plea to Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Judge Vicari also ordered that Bollinger be subject to the terms of Megan’s Law as well as Nicole’s Law, which permanently prohibits him from having any contact with his victim. Finally, Judge Vicari ordered that Bollinger permanently forfeit any future public employment and teaching certifications in the State of New Jersey. Bollinger pled guilty to the charge before Judge Vicari on November 18, 2024.
An investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit revealed that between February 2019 and August 2019, Bollinger – while employed in his official capacity as a teacher at the Ocean County Performing Arts Academy – engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with a student in both Point Pleasant Beach and Asbury Park.
On August 15, 2024, Bollinger was taken into custody without incident at his residence by the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail, and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
“Issues in the course of this investigation created challenges in the State’s ability to prove more serious charges against this defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. The victim is cognizant of those issues, and is in support of this resolution,” Prosecutor Billhimer stated. “As part of the resolution in this case, the defendant has been ordered to permanently forfeit his teaching license. Given the nature of the allegations, it was imperative to ensure that Bollinger will never again be in a position of supervisory authority over students,” Prosecutor Billhimer concluded.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Assistant Prosecutors Victoria Veni and Kimberly Carr who handled the case on behalf of the State, and commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, 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, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, and United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation.