OCEAN TOWNSHIP — Another round of criminal charges have been filed against a former Long Branch High School English teacher, stemming from an investigation which began last week.

Lisandra Zingaro, 32, of Appleby Drive, who is facing numerous charges involving drugs and the sexual assault of a minor in May, is now facing additional similar charges.

According to Ocean Township Detective Jeffrey Layton, several youths were in and out of Zingaro’s house from Friday night through Sunday night.

An investigation began when a township woman, the mother of a 15-year-old boy, called police because she thought her son was being held against his will in Zingaro’s home.

Layton said the mother of the boy became concerned after his cell phone was not accepting calls.

"At one point, [the mother] received a call at home from her son and was able to trace the call with her caller I.D. to Zingaro’s home," said Layton.

He added, "The mother called us on Monday, reporting her son, whom she had not seen all night, missing."

While Officer Brendan Bruther was at the juvenile’s home on Monday taking a missing persons report, the juvenile returned home, noted Layton.

"We felt at that time it was necessary to conduct an investigation of where he had been," said Layton.

Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, having obtained a search warrant, authorities arrived at Zingaro’s home.

An investigation conducted by Sgt. Kevin McDermott and Investigator Michael Clancy, assisted by Detective Jay Clark and Lt. Peter Short, "found female and male youths from ages 15 to 18 had ingested various narcotics while at the house and in the presence of Zingaro," Layton said.

The substances identified are cocaine, clonazepam (a drug used to treat panic disorders), marijuana and alcohol.

Although none of the youths were left at the home when police arrived, Layton noted that the investigation suggested which teens were at the home and who ingested what narcotic.

On Tuesday, Zingaro was charged with one count each of criminal sexual contact for touching one of the youth’s buttocks, possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute, distribution of cocaine, distribution of clonazepam, theft of blank prescription forms, stolen blank prescription forms, possession of paraphernalia (a pipe used for marijuana) and providing alcohol to a person under the legal age; and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Layton noted that the two counts of endangering the welfare of a child are based on the alleged sexual contact of touching a juvenile’s buttocks and the alleged possession of drugs, which were in the house in the presence of the youths.

Bail was set at $125,000, and as of Tuesday morning, Zingaro was still incarcerated at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold Township.

Zingaro’s husband and children were not home at the time of the investigation, and authorities have said they have no information as to where they are, since it does not pertain to the investigation.

Zingaro, a popular English teacher at Long Branch High School, was fired by the school board in June after she was charged with possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute, distribution of cocaine and sexual assault of a 16-year-old male in May for allegedly having sexual intercourse and oral sex. Those charges against Zingaro are still pending.