What to KnowA man who worked as a school custodian must spend several years in prison for putting bodily fluids and cleaning products in food meant for children and staff to eat as well as putting cooking utensils on his genitals. Giovanni Impellizzeri of Vineland, New Jersey, was working as a custo dian for the Upper Deerfield Township School District in 2023 when authorities became aware of videos he recorded himself contaminating food and utensils.As part of his plea deal, Impellizzeri admitted to child porn possession and official misconduct. A judge ruled his must serve at least five years in prison. Warning: The details of this story are graphic and may be disturbing for some readers. A former school custodian in New Jersey who pleaded guilty to contaminating food meant for students and staff will spend at least the next half decade in prison. Judge Cristen P. D’Arrigo sentenced Giovanni Impellizzeri to eight years in a New Jersey prison on Friday, March 28, 2025. The Vineland, New Jersey, native must serve at least five years before he can be eligible for parole, the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office said. The sentence came under the parameters of a Jan. 13, 2025, plea deal where Impellizzeri pleaded guilty to second-degree official misconduct and third-degree child pornography possession. On Friday, the judge also ruled that Impellizzeri must remain under parole supervision for the rest of his life. New Jersey Jan 14 Former NJ elementary school custodian pleads guilty to contaminating food New Jersey Nov 8, 2023 NJ custodian accused of contaminating food now faces child porn charges New Jersey Nov 3, 2023 NJ school custodian contaminates food with bodily fluids, bleach, officials say He at the time admitted that he recorded videos of himself putting bodily fluids and cleaning products into food items at Elizabeth Moore School in Upper Deerfield School District. Marisol Perez Cruz, parent of a student in the Upper Deerfield School District, tearfully spoke in court about the impacts of Impellizzeri’s action on her child. “I am disgusted by what this man did to all our children,” she said. “I am hurt to know that in one place where I thought my child was safe, she wasn’t.” He was originally charged with counts of aggravated assault, tampering with food products, attempted endangering and official misconduct, prosecutors said. Ex-custodian regrets his actions In court on Friday, Impellizzeri addressed the judge. “I feel very bad about it,” Impellizzeri said about his actions. “I wish I could go back in time and not do it, but it’s done now and I realize I have to pay for it.” His attorney Emily Bell said her client is “not a bad person.” “He did a bad thing,” she said. “He did some bad things. And he’s going to pay for it.” Investigation into disturbing accusations The investigation into Impellizzeri began in the fall of 2023 when New Jersey State Police were contacted by officials at the elementary school in Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey, officials said. The officials said they had received multiple anonymous tips in reference to posts on a social media platform.  Investigators said the screenshots and video posts showed Impellizzeri performing sexual acts with inanimate objects at the school, where he had worked as a custodian since September of 2019. Impellizzeri tampered with and contaminated food products and utensils in the school’s cafeteria with bleach and personal bodily fluids, including saliva, urine and feces, prosecutors said. “The contaminated food was likely served to students and staff at the school, investigators said.  Impellizzeri also contaminated other items at the school with his bodily fluids, according to investigators.  Investigators said Impellizzeri posted videos and pictures on a social media app of himself committing the obscene acts. They also believe he committed the acts during after school hours.  During the course of the investigation, detectives said they also found child porn in Impellizzeri’s possession. The arrest of Impellizzeri Impellizzeri was arrested on Oct. 31, 2023 and charged over the days that followed. Back in November of 2024, Impellizzeri’s public defender said his client had a long history of mental health issues which he has received treatment for. He also said Impellizzeri did not have a criminal record prior to the alleged incidents at the school. The Upper Deerfield Township School District cooperated with authorities during the investigation. Officials in the district said that all of the food and utensils at the Elizabeth Moore School were sanitized and safe to use or consume and any possibly contaminated food products were discarded.  The District also said Impellizzeri was put on administrative leave following his arrest and later fired. In court Friday, school district superintendent Dr. Peter Koza read remarks in court, saying “we were all victims to these heinous acts and deplorable acts of one individual.” “What our students or staff, our parents and our community had to endure is unconscionable and we cannot change what happened,” he said, while noting the community remains unbroken and won’t be defined by the actions. 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