Wife intervenes for Berlin Township teacher accused of seeking sex with teen

Jim Walsh
Cherry Hill Courier-Post
Jonathan Liano, a Berlin Township middle school teacher arrested after allegedly sending explicit messages and a photo of his genitals to an undercover detective posing online as a 14-year-old girl, and then bringing three condoms to an arranged meeting in a park, appears in court in the Camden County Hall of Justice on Wednesday, September 19, 2018.

CAMDEN - A Berlin Township teacher charged with luring appeared in court Wednesday morning, but his wife did most of the talking.

In an unusual mix-up, no attorney was present at a scheduled detention hearing for Jonathan Liano, who's accused of sending sexually explicit messages and a photograph of his genitals to a detective posing online as a 14-year-old girl.

The lack of a lawyer prompted several exchanges at the morning session between Superior Court Judge Frederick Schuck and the defendant's wife, Stephanie Liano, who was seated in the gallery.

At one point, Stephanie Liano expressed regret over the confusion, telling her husband "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for," responded the Sicklerville man, who wore shackles and a blue inmate's uniform. "I'm sorry."

Schuck ultimately ordered Liano's release, but with several restrictions, after an attorney appeared for a five-minute hearing shortly before 2 p.m.

Liano had been in Camden County Jail since his arrest Friday, when he allegedly brought three condoms to a planned meeting with the "child" at a Pennsauken park.

A public defender at Wednesday morning's session, Ed Rivas, said he could not represent Liano, who earns some $62,000 a year as a fifth-grade teacher at Eisenhower Middle School.

"I'm told that he does not qualify (for a public defender)," Rivas told Schuck shortly after 10 a.m.

"His family was surprised by that," Rivas added.

Speaking from the gallery, Stephanie Liano told Schuck the family had retained a private attorney, Mark Catanzaro of Mount Holly.

But Catanzaro was not available Wednesday morning, she said.

"He's able to come this afternoon," she said.

Schuck directed family members to confirm Catanzaro's availability, saying the hearing could be put off for another day, if necessary.

Stephanie Liano updated the judge around 11 a.m. as her husband looked on in silence.

She said Catanzaro "felt rushed and would prefer to ask for a very brief postponement."

"I just feel like it's such a big case," Stephanie Liano told the judge. "It's overwhelming."

Schuck asked Jonathan Liano how he'd like to proceed, and the Sicklerville man said he'd accept a postponement.

At that point, Assistant Camden County Prosecutor Becky Lapidow spoke up to say she would not oppose the teacher's release under specific conditions. She suggested that might ease Catanzaro's concerns.

Schuck then scheduled the afternoon session, when he released Liano with restrictions against any contact with schools, minors or parks.

The teacher also is barred from using computers, the Internet and social media, Schuck said.

Authorities claim Liano responded to a Sept. 4 post from a detective posing online as a 14-year-old named Katie.

"Back to school sucks. Who wants to come over and cheer me up," Katie asked on Whisper, a social media app that allows anonymous exchanges.

Liano, 38, allegedly responded by asking the girl's age, then saying he was "wayyyy too old for you."

But he then allegedly asked, "What is the oldest you have hooked up with?"

He is accused of sending sexually explicit messages and a photograph of his penis to "Katie," before arranging a meeting Friday afternoon at Cooper River Park in Pennsauken.

The Berlin Township district placed him on administrative leave Saturday after learning of his arrest.

Liano previously taught at Lindenwold Middle School, Camden’s Promise Charter School and John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Berlin Township.

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