The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Former teacher gets 33 years
Man who admitted sexually assaulting two former students gets maximum sentence
A former Cornerstone Christian Academy teacher turned lawyer who admitted sexually assaulting two former students asked for mercy May 4 in Lake County Common Pleas Court.
Instead, Judge John P. O’Donnell sentenced 41-year-old North Royalton resident Anthony J. Polizzi to the maximum 33 years in prison.
“It’s not an ‘inappropriate relationship.’ It’s a crime,” O’Donnell said. “You groomed these girls, and then you threatened them. You’re a predator. That’s what you are.”
Polizzi taught history at the private Willoughby Hills high school from 2007 to 2010. He was also a mock trial adviser, class adviser and cross country coach.
The criminal offenses occurred during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 school years when the victims were 17 and 18.
Polizzi said his actions with the first victim began after she came to him for advice on her parents’ divorce.
“I guess I grew close to her,” he told the judge. “I felt guilty. It was dangerous. It was foolish. I guess I was just thinking about myself. I liked her; cared about her. But I still loved my wife. I should have known better. I chose to do wrong.”
The incidents with the second student started the following year after he gave his mock trial students his cell phone number. She texted him, and the conversation later turned sexual.
“I guess I liked the attention,” he said.
Both victims, now adults, confronted Polizzi in court, saying he took advantage of their vulnerability.
“He told me it was my fault for going with him and if I said anything I’d be expelled,” the younger victim said. “I was a young, naive 17-year-old taught to respect my Christian elders.”
The woman spoke about how Polizzi once upset her after going to the restaurant where she worked — sitting in her section with his wife.
After he was fired for being caught with a student off of school property, Polizzi still did not face legal consequences.
He finished his law degree and worked for three years at a firm as an attorney.
The then-17-year-old said she never planned on turning him in until he sent her a “filthy” email out of the blue two years after they broke things off. That email triggered something in her that made her determined to get justice.
“It disgusts me that you got to live some normal life working at some law firm instead of going to jail,” she said.
The older victim said she was going through issues at the time that made her vulnerable to Polizzi’s tactics.
She said he continued to contact her even after she went off to college and showed up unwanted at church functions he knew she was involved in.
Defense attorney Catherine Meehan urged the judge to sentence Polizzi — who had no prior criminal record — to probation for “the consensual relationship” with the two girls.
“This was a lapse in judgment. This is far from his typical behavior,” Meehan said. “He has three young children under 9.”
The defense attorney then blamed the media attention after his arrest for Polizzi losing his job at the law firm and being asked to leave his church.
Polizzi’s wife said although his actions deeply hurt her, she continues to support him.
“He’s very remorseful,” she said. “My husband is a family man. He is very close to his kids.”
Polizzi’s father, also named Anthony, asked for leniency as well.
“He seems exemplary to me,” said the defendant’s father.
“My children need me and I need them,” the defendant added.
The judge said although Polizzi clearly loves his children, he has shown no remorse for the victims.
In fact, Polizzi admitted telling a doctor that he wanted “those girls to experience misery for what they’ve done to me” just 30 days ago.
“What nerve! To say what they did to you,” O’Donnell said. “It’s been 10 years for (the first victim) and 8 years for (the other) and that fear will never go away.”
Polizzi previously pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual battery and two counts of gross sexual imposition.
He must register as a Tier 3 sex offender for life after his release.