NYC teacher Melissa Rockensies of Massapequa charged with raping 14-year-old student, Queens DA says

A New York City public school teacher who lives in Massapequa was charged Monday with raping a 14-year-old student who was under her tutelage.

Melissa Rockensies, 32, was arraigned on several charges for the alleged sexual relationship that got its start while she was serving last summer as dean at Corona Arts & Science Academy in Queens, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. Rockensies was also one of the victim’s summer school teachers and counselors there, authorities said.

“These disturbing allegations represent an abuse of authority and a betrayal of the trust students and parents place in their schools,” Katz said in a statement. “On behalf of the victim and his family, and the overwhelming majority of teachers committed to the education and well-being of our children, we will seek to achieve justice in this case.”

Catherine May, an attorney representing Rockensies, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Rockensies was arraigned on a complaint charging her with rape in the second and third degrees, criminal sexual act in the second degree and endangering the welfare of a child.

Judge Anthony Battisti ordered her to return to court on Nov. 24. If convicted, Rockensies faces up to 7 years in prison.

According to the charges, beginning in July 2022, Rockensies started having sexually related conversations with the victim on social media.

By September, she began to meet with the victim on a regular basis inside her vehicle near the school, where she engaged him in sexual activity, authorities said.

Investigators found social media messages between Rockensies and the victim discussing the sexual relationship.

The investigation was conducted by New York City Police Department’s Queens Special Victims Squad.

Assistant District Attorney George Kanellopoulos, supervisor in the district attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, is prosecuting the case.