Center, TEXAS

May 30, 2007 - Janet Parker, 26, a former Center teacher who resigned as an eighth-grade technology applications and graphic arts instructor, was arrested on 23 charges including sexual assault of child.

The charges are sexual performance by a child , three warrants for sexual assault of a child and 11 warrants for possession of child pornography third-degree felony.

Police investigated in December but were unable to to establish proof until two weeks ago when a cell phone belonged to the same student with whom Parker was suspected of having an inappropriate relationship was examined after it was confiscated at school because of an unacceptable screen saver. Parker's house was searched and two computers examined.

TT - Online stories do not say how old the male student was, but it doesn't matter. Texas has a law that criminalizes sex between a student and a teacher even if the student is of legal age to consent.

KTRE reporter Donna McCollum has a long column on the case. She reports the boy was 14-years-old.

From the Daily Sentinel: One of the images found on the boy's cell phone was was one of a partially-nude woman lying on a bed, nude from the waist up, covered by a rebel flag. The woman was identified as Parker by her former husband.

A search of her residence and home computers turned up a rebel flag at the foot of a bed, according to an affidavit. Rebel flag blankets were also found on the bed that matched those found on the cell phone, according to the document.

Numerous photos were reportedly found of Parker and her student on her computer, as well as e-mails, chats and 15 photographs believed to be child pornography, the affidavit said.

School authorities were alerted in December when Parker and the student were seen holding hands in a mall.

Grooming Children

Stalking of adults and grooming of kids almost always involve using electronic devices these days, she said.

Jan 11, 2008 - In a story that focuses almost entirely on teachers who groom their students, CNN looks at Cells, texting give predators secret path to kids.

Troy Mansfield, a third-grade teacher, "spent four years building a friendship with a student. Mansfield sent her poems via e-mail, and the girl said she felt like she could confide in him. By the time she was in seventh grade, they were comfortable talking about sexual fantasies, and he'd sneak her away from school in his car for an hour of sex." He was sentenced to 31 years.

Kelly Dalecki, 26, a Florida teacher, gave a 14-year-old boy her cell phone number and an alias e-mail address. She bought and gave him Mike's Hard Lemonade, cranberry juice with vodka, condoms and marijuana, the documents state. By the time she started e-mailing porn and illicit messages, he trusted her. " The boy's mother was a teacher who worked with Dalecki.
She was sentenced to 364 days in jail - not prison.

Beth Ann Chester - recently arrested. TT - Link
Kelsey Peterson - ran to Mexico with a 13-year-old boy. TT - Link

Excellent article on how adults groom children to be victims.

"They groom children," [Detective Joshua] Shelton said. "A lot of the time, these kids mistake the grooming activity for friendship, which is exactly what it's designed to do -- to look like a platonic relationship, when all they are really doing is getting closer and closer to them socially so they can get closer and closer to them physically."

TT - Our stories that involve teachers, cell phones and e-mail communications include:

Michael Black, 28, and 13-year-old femal student. LINK
Crystal Wells, 33, and a 15-year-old male student. LINK
Chad Draper, 29, and a 17-year-old female student. LINK
Pamela Balogh, 39, and a 15-year-old female student. LINK
Cynthia Rynard, 32, and a 17-year-old male student. LINK
Jenna Hermann, 23, and a 13-year-old male student. LINK
Scott Lempa, 33, and a 17-year-old female student. LINK
Chad N. Stover, 30, and a 17-year-old female student. LINK
Tracy R. Hanzal, 29, and 14-and 15-year-old girls. LINK
Alison Mosbeck, 34, and 14-year-old student. LINK
Jeffrey Anderson, 23, and two 15-year old students. LINK
Timothy Meehan, 23, and an under age 17 female student. LINK
Richard A. Foster, 51, and minor student. LINK
Stephanie Ann Stein, 31, and a 15-year-old male student. LINK
Shariff Mills, 32, and a student. LINK
Steven Maffucci, 30, and three girls, ages 15 and 16. LINK
Daniel Velasco, 33, and a 15-year-old student. LINK
Vernon E. Heizer, 50, and a 14-year-old student. LINK
Edison Muñoz, 51, and a 17-year-old student. LINK
Steven Lysogorski, 37, and a 14-year-old boy. LINK
Vicky Lynn Lewallen, 44, and a 14-year-old female student. LINK
Janet Parker, 26, and a 14-year-old male student. LINK
Marvin King, 48, and a s 16-year-old female student. LINK
Dennis Carter, 52, and a 16-year-old female student. LINK
Derek Baird, 19, and a 16-year-old student. LINK
Unnamed teacher from Paterson, NJ and cell phone pics. LINK
Ryan Novak, 25, and a female student. LINK
Richard Parrish, 32, and a 17-year-old female student. LINK
Chris White sending pics to a female student. LINK
David Nenzoski, 49, and a 13-year-old student. LINK
--- "And then when she got the cell number, why would any teacher give a child the cell number?"
Kourney Mullen, (female)22, and a 17-year-old female special ed student. LINK

Some states and school districts are already working on the problem. LINK
And some education specialists should know better. LINK

Cheyenne, WYOMING

She talked to her students about the dangers of using drugs in classroom DARE program. Feds identify her as a "frequent cocaine customer."

Feb 8, 2008 - Irena F. Mondello, 41, a sixth-grade teacher at Bain Elementary School, 41, was one of 19 people arrested. Police accuse Mondello of being a frequent customer of Steven A. Gibson, 64, a Cheyenne man they say distributed cocaine in the Cheyenne area after getting the drug from sources in the Denver area.

She is charged with two counts each of lying to federal investigators and attempting to possess cocaine.

Mondello told investigators she didn't use cocaine but sometimes ordered the drug from Gibson for her estranged husband, Andrew Mondello, 40, by using her cell phone, according to federal court documents.

Her husband is awaiting trial in Laramie County District Court on a charge of possessing crack cocaine. He told drug agents that he and his wife bought cocaine from Gibson. Gibson claims he sold to both of them. but since their estrangement, he sold to them individually. Another cocaine dealer admits selling to the teacher. In reviewing phone records, authorities allege Irena Mondello used her cell phone to try and contact Gibson 118 times between March 26 and Nov. 2, 2007.

When police arrested Gibson last fall, a search of his home turned up 10 pounds of marijuana and a half pound of cocaine. Police say the ring smuggled more than 100 pounds of cocaine into southeast Wyoming over five years. Authorities estimated the value of the cocaine at $1.6 million.

Irena Mondello has been suspended with pay.

GUILTY PLEA March 26 - Mondello pleaded guilty to a single count of lying to agents during an investigation into a suspected interstate cocaine ring. Mondello's attorney said his client will receive two years of supervised probation instead of prison time for the single count. She will be sentenced June 30.

Mondello is the second teacher charged in connection with the suspected cocaine ring. Mary Dunning, 47, a teacher's assistant at Baggs Elementary, faces two counts of attempting to possess cocaine. TT entry for Dunning.

ARRESTED (Again) & BOND REVOKED - June 19 - Mondello was arrested for driving under the influence. Conditions of her release state that she "shall refrain from any use or possession of alcohol." Her bond was revoked at the bond revocation hearing. Mondello's case now has the potential to head to trial. Her attorney said he would have to renegotiate her plea deal.

SENTENCED - July 26 - Mondello was sentenced to 366 days in prison and three years of supervised release.

Foxburg, PENNSYLVANIA

Nov 21, 2007 - Chad N. Stover, 30, principal at Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School, is accused of having inappropriate communications with a female student between 2004 and 2006 while he was employed as an English teacher at Cranberry High School. He waived a preliminary hearing.

The girl was 16 at the time.

According to a criminal complaint prepared by state police in Franklin, Stover developed a relationship with the girl and the two would communicate via telephone, computers and cell phone text messaging.

During these communications, Stover would allegedly ask the girl to perform a number of sexual acts such as pose naked in front of her bedroom window while he drove by the house. He would also tell her he wanted to have sex with her and would describe sex acts to her, police said.

Police said they interviewed other female students who said Stover spoke with them via telephone and/or computer for long periods of time during the night or early morning hours while they were students at Cranberry High School, police said. The conversations the other female students reported having with Stover supported the victim’s statement, police said.

Stover was placed on unpaid leave in September.

We found an August story about parents who were outraged when they heard about the investigation. They demanded, but did not get, any answers from the school board.

GUILTY PLEA April 1, 2008 - Stover pleaded guilty Monday. Under a plea agreement, Stover will be sentenced to probation and cannot coach, teach or volunteer with minors.

Police say Stover communicated by phone, computer and cell phone text message with the girl. Among other things, he asked her to pose naked in front of her bedroom window while he drove past her house. Stover was appointed high school principal in October 2006. He is currently unemployed.

From The Derrick: (Apr 1) Stover was previously employed as an English teacher in the Cranberry Area School District.

Under the plea agreement, the prosecution agreed to a probationary sentence with the understanding that Stover will never coach, teach, be involved in educational administration or have contact, including participating in volunteer work, with people under the age of 18.

He will be sentenced May 22.

SENTENCED (Sorta) May 28 - Stover was sentenced Thursday to serve five years probation on a corruption of minors charge for sending inappropriate messages to a student while he was employed as a softball coach in another school district. At the sentencing, District Judge Robert Boyer ordered Stover to surrender his teaching and administrator licenses and to pay $1,325.50 in fines, costs and restitution.

TT - There's an inherent conflict of interest when the prosecution knows it can cost the state - despite a guilty plea - $200,000 to $400,000 to revoke an educator's license. It is troubling that there is a possibility that the desire to remove the educator is more important than justice for the victim or the unfairness to someone else who doesn't have such a bargaining tool during plea negotiations. Licenses should be automatically revoked for educators guilty of any sex crime. That they aren't is why it is necessary to bargain with the bastards.

Diana, TEXAS

There's nothing like an angry mom!!

October 27, 2008 - John Tiger, 39, a first-year coach and teacher in the New Diana Independent School District, was arrested on a charge of online solicitation of a minor of a minor age 14 and under.

Tiger had previously coached and taught at Union Hill High School. He maintained contact with at least one Union Hill student after he left the district and on Friday sent text messages to a 15-year-old Union Hill student.

Based on the nature of the text messages, the mother and child came to the Upshur County Sheriff's Office. Officials began an investigation. Text messages continued in the presence of law enforcement, and it was agreed that Tiger would meet the girl after a New Diana football game that night. When he arrived at the meeting location, he was arrested.

The District Attorney said the girl was 14 when the texting started and that she turned 15 on Saturday. The D.A. expects other charges to be filed. Upshur county officials are also investigating.

Tiger graduated high school in Commerce, Okla., according to his biography listed on New Diana's athletics Web site. He attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated from East Texas State University in Commerce.
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LEGAL INFO: (From the story.) According to the Texas Penal Code, a person older than 17 can be charged with online solicitation of a minor if he knowingly solicits a minor (someone younger than 17) to meet someone, including himself, with the intent that the minor will have sexual contact or sexual intercourse. This includes messages via the Internet or by cell phone text.
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TT - There are three schools in the district. All are rated 9 (with 10 being the highest) at GreatSchools.net. The article doesn't say where he teaches.
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KLTV 7 (Oct. 27) KLTV 7 spoke off-camera with the mother of the girl. QUOTE The mother says she took her daughter's cell phone and pretended to be her daughter, replying to Tiger's text. She then set up a meeting with Tiger. The mother says through the text messages, Tiger asked her if they could meet at her house in Union Hill for sex.

After Tiger took the bait, authorities arrested him on a street in front of her house Saturday night. UNQUOTE

According to the girl's mother, Tiger had been sending the text messages for a year.

She says because Tiger never texted what she referred to as 'super-explicit' words the mother never had concrete evidence before this to give authorities.

Tiger is a coach at a coach at New Diana High School. He is on paid administrative leave.

RESIGNATION October 31 - . John Tiger submitted a resignation letter to the school district on Wednesday, Superintendent Patrick Clark said.

New Port Richey, FLORIDA

Third teacher in two weeks arrested for sex with student in the same school district.

March 24, 2008 - Lisa Marinelli, 40, a substitute teacher in -- where else? -- Pasco County schools was arrested and charged with unlawful sex with a minor. She also is accused of giving the 17-year-old boy a pair of her underwear as a memento of their sexual relationship.

Police were alerted after the boy's father saw him exiting Marinelli's car "holding his pants together and putting them back in place." The father provided documents of hundreds of cell phone calls, and there were about 35 text messages still on the victim's cell phone.

Marinelli is married. She was teaching at Mitchell High School.
Full Name: Lisa Robyn Marinelli,

Under Florida law, a 17-year-old cannot consent to sex with a person 24 or older.

Anyone with information may call the sheriff's office at 1-800-854-2862.

Marinelli is the third teacher to be charged in two weeks with a sex-related crime against a minor. In Hillsborough County, former Davidsen Middle School math teacher Stephanie Ragusa and Freedom High English teacher Mary Jo Spack of Wesley Chapel face charges of having sex with underage students. TT entry for Ragusa TT entry for Spack

Since 2005, at least 10 schoolteachers in Hillsborough and neighboring counties have been arrested on similar charges.

TEXT MESSAGES March 25 - According to the arrest report, it all started in December, when Marinelli identified the teen as being "on the list" of potential boyfriends for her 15-year-old daughter. The report also included some of the text messages between Marinelli and the student.

QUALIFICATIONS St. Petersburg Times (March 30) reports that Ragusa went through alternative certification and that Lisa Marinelli, a Pasco long-term substitute arrested on similar charges, has a high school diploma and two days of training.

NOT GUILTY PLEA April 29 - Marinelli entered a written plea of not guilty this morning. She did not appear for the arraignment.

Marshall, NORTH CAROLINA

Dec 10, 2007 - Chad Draper, 29, a teacher and coach at Madison High School, was arrested and charged with disseminating harmful material to a minor after a student athlete complained that he showed her a pornographic video on his cell phone while at school. The girl is 17 years old.

Sheriff John Ledford said. “This is the initial charge advised by the district attorney’s office, but it may be upgraded,” he said. Police found a pornographic videon on Draper's cell phone.

Madison County School Superintendent Dr. Ronald Wilcox said the school system is “taking action” regarding the case, and that Draper's dismissal is in the works. The next court date is Jan 31.
Full Name: Chad Vance Draper

ADDITIONAL CHARGES May 29, 2008 - Additional charges have been filed against Draper. The four misdemeanor counts of disseminating harmful materials to minors come from four separate incidents and involve multiple students at Madison High. A court date has been set for June 24.

Draper had been an assistant football coach and physical education teacher at Madison High at the time of his arrest in December. He worked previously in Buncombe County at Cane Creek Middle and Reynolds High and was an assistant football coach at Reynolds.

CONVICTED & SENTENCED June 25, 2008 - Draper was convicted of disseminating pornography to a minor. He was sentenced Tuesday to 30 days in jail - not prison - serve 18 months of probation and wear an electronic tracking device during home arrest for six months.

[Defense attorney Al] Messer sought a dismissal, arguing that District Judge Bill Leavell couldn't find Draper guilty in the case because the judge had not viewed the video, and the detective had not brought the video to court.

Assistant District Attorney Gary Gavenus countered that "this is not an obscenity trial" and that two witnesses had testified that the high school student was shown a video of adults having sex, that genetalia was visible, and that the involuntary viewing was done on school grounds by a man employed as a teacher.

Social Networking

ARTICLE


Oct 9, 2007 - From the Chronicle of Higher Education, a column by Ms. Mentor.

A reader writes,

Is it weird and cheesy for professors to be on Facebook, sending social notes to their students after a long day at school?

My colleague ("Brando"), in his mid-50s, has a Facebook site connected to the 60-plus students we see every day in our very intense program. I wonder how Brando has time to "play" with students like this on the Net. Is this a newfangled ploy to establish popularity and "coolness"?

I struggle to make students understand that I'm not instantly available by e-mail. Brando's site undermines my efforts, and students haven't a clue as to how sad this really is. In our big university (8,000), he is the only faculty member on Facebook.

Ms. Mentor reply:

Even the youngest instructors, those fresh-faced 25-year-old prodigies, are officially grown-ups.

They must cast off childish things, and hang out with their elders.

That does not mean Facebook.com, a cheerful, teenagey venue in which students create groups ("Metaphysicians Who Barbecue"), post photos, and leave greetings on each other's "walls."

Ms. Mentor does wonder why Brando, some 35 years older, is hanging around in that adolescent playground. Ms. Mentor thinks he should be playing with people his own age, rather than appearing to be desperately lonely or in need of some illicit lovin' that could wreck his career and derail the aspirations of students. Since his colleague Carla cannot stop his "weird and cheesy" behavior, Ms. Mentor will direct him bluntly: Knock it off. Now.

TT - This passes for profoundness in mentoring. If Ms. Mentor cared, she take the time to find out just how many teachers have become involved with their students through social networking sites and those e-mail exchanges. Not to mention the cell phone or IM exchanges.

A teacher isn't a friend. He or she isn't a confidant. They are not substitute parents. And, in particular, they are not playmates. There is no need for a teacher to give a student their e-mail address or cell phone number. Or invite a student to their home. The problem is that many teachers come from the university culture that includes non-stop partying and loads of uncommitted sex. The real world, by comparison, is boring.

Like our Peter Pan press that never wants to grow up, the fun-addicted student, coupled with a culture that prizes youth over wisdom, hipness over thoughtfulness, results in a Peter Pan teacher - whether 26 or 50 - who looks for excitement in the workplace. And it isn't with other adults who are more responsible.

The only reason a teacher would have a MySpace or a Facebook page that was accessible to students is because they crave adulation from the easy to impress or friendship from children. And that makes them poor role models right there because they are not teaching their students appropriate boundaries.

It isn't weird or cheesy. It's pathetic and dangerous.

Bel Air, MARYLAND

March 10, 2008 - David Vasses, 29, a science teacher and an assistant wrestling coach at C. Milton Wright High School, was arrested on charges of sexual abuse of a minor, a fourth-degree sexual offense and perverted practice for sex with two students.

School officials learned about Vasses and a 17-year-old female student. The 17-year-old told a detective from the Harford County Child Advocacy Center that she had a sexual relationship with Vasses and received suggestive photographs of him on her cell phone, according to a statement of charges.

When questioned by a detective, Vasses said the sexual relationship with the 17-year-old student began in November and that he also had sexual contact with another student, an 18-year-old girl, at his home, according to a statement of charges.

The teacher's home computer contained pictures of both students, Vasses told the detective. The computer and the cell phone of the 17-year-old were taken as evidence, according to court documents. Police also confiscated Vasses computer with a web-cam pointed at his bed after he told detectives he had pictures of the girl on the computer.

Before teaching at C. Milton Wright High School, Vasses taught science at Aberdeen Middle School. He is now on paid administrative leave.
Full Name: David Louis Vasses
AKA Dewey Vasses
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Harford County State Attorney's Office Press Release (dated Mar 10, 2008)
Photo Harford County State Attorney's Office.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Harford County Child Advocacy Center at 410-638-3294.

May 11 - Jury trial scheduled Sept 10. cts

Houston, TEXAS

Story dated Jan 17, 2008 - The The Houston school board fired Cimerli Johnson, 33, the principal of "troubled" Ryan Middle School. The board said Johnson improperly promoted students to the next grade and that her employees were paid 'tens of thousands of dollars' for time they never worked.

Johnson was reassigned in October after allowing a 14-year-old male student spend two nights at her home. The grandmother and guardian of the boy says that Johnson took the teen home with her for sleepovers on at least two separate occasions. At the time, she thought Johnson was married with children of her own. The grandmother also alleged that Johnson purchased a cell phone for her grandson. The school district launched an investigation into the principal’s behavior.

Johnson told the school district investigator that she bought the teenager a cell phone because of his improved performance at school. In a report filed in November, the school district investigator concluded that Johnson showed a "lack of good judgment" regarding the student, but that there was "insufficient evidence of sexual misconduct." Police did not file any charges.

The investigation led to a routine financial check that found more than $100,000 paid for work that was not performed or not properly recorded at the school.

Mount Olivet, KENTUCKY

Sentenced to five years each on six count to be served concurrently.

INDICTED Dec 11, 2007 - Crystal Wells, 33, a math teacher at Deming High School, was indicted by a grand jury on six counts of third-degree rape. She turned herself in and was arrested. [Third degree rape is defined as a person over the age of 21 who has sexual intercourse with someone under the age of 16. under KRS 510.060,]

Crystal Wells is accused of engaging in sex four times in August and twice in November with a 15-year-old male student, state police said.

SUSPENDED She was suspended for five days after sending more than 3,000 text messages to the boy. Wells provided the boy with the cell phone, according to Kentucky State Police. The district maintains that there was no evidence of a sex crime against Crystal Wells at the time. [Odd how some school districts NEVER find evidence of a crime.]

RESIGNED Wells resigned Nov 13 two days after state police opened an investigation after being contacted by the boy's family.Authorities said family members had found text messages on the boy's cell phone and felt they were indicative of a sexual relationship.

Also see Ledger Independent coverage. (Dec 10)
Wells is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 14.

GUILTY PLEA Mar 3, 2008 - Wells is married and the mother of two small children. In a pretrial appearance, she pleaded guilty to amended charges of unlawful transaction with a minor on each count. The plea agreement calls for five years on each count to run concurrently. She will be sentenced Apr 14.

Wells was indicted in December. Prior to the indictment, only text message incidents during school time were acted on by school officials. Allegedly more than 3,000 text messages may have been exchanged between Wells and the boy. According to minutes of the October 2007 Deming school board meeting, the board approved the Sept. 17, 2007, minutes which listed Wells as suspended without pay for one week and with pay for a second week, Aug. 27-Sept. 7, 2007.

SENTENCED April 14 - Wells was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Wells was sentenced to five years on each of the six charges - to run concurrently. She is required to attend sex offender counseling, relinquish her Kentucky licence to teach. Her attorney wanted probation citing the fact that she had resigned from her job, her marriage was falling apart and a divorce was pending which would be affecting her two young daughters., but Circuit Court Judge Robert McGinnis did not buy the argument.

McGinnis disagreed, citing the impact statements and facts of the case, with the boy's mother and supporters of the victims' family, and Wells family and church members present, McGinnis formally sentenced Wells to five years on each count to be served concurrently.

If Wells' offense had been a single incident; if she had ceased contact with the victim after a confrontation by the boy's family; if she had not been a teacher, the offense may have warranted probation, McGinnis said."I have to treat this the same as I would a male teacher and a female student," McGinnis said. "I am not sure anyone benefits from jail."

And,

Citing the reduced charge from the original charges in the guilty plea and concessions already made by the commonwealth, the judge said there would be no probation at the time being. Wells is also shielded from prosecution from possible criminal charges in Nicholas County involving the same victim."A significant break has already been cut with the plea," McGinnis said. "Probation is denied ... you are in custody."

Norfolk, VIRGINIA

Prosecutors drop charges.

Feb 20, 2008 - Natasha L. Sizow, 24, a Granby High School social studies teacher, was arrested and charged with two counts each of indecent liberties and use of a communications device to facilitate crimes against children. She is accused of sending improper photos of herself to students via cell phone.

A school resource officer learned about the allegations and reported them. Police got a warrant to search her cell phone. She was accused of sending photos of herself “in various stages of undress. ” The students involved were a male and a female, both age 17.

Sizow was arraigned Wednesday. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 2.

CASE DROPPED FOR INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE April 2 - Charges were nolle-prossed against Sizow accused of sending inappropriate pictures of herself to students. This means the case is basically dismissed, but the prosecutor reserves the right to re-file charges at a later date. "The bottom line, there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case and that's why we nolle-prossed the case. That's the bottom line," says Amanda Howie spokesperson for the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office .

It's unsure when Sizow will return to work, but it will not be with children. The Norfolk School Board had suspended Sizow without pay. She will be paid for the 42 days she wasn't paid.

"Natasha Sizow has been reassigned to a non-instructional position with pay for the remainder of the year," said Vincent Rhodes who's in the Office Of Communications for the Norfolk School Board.

Honeoye Falls, NEW YORK

Sept 21, 2007 - Timothy Meehan, 23, a substitute teacher in the Honeoye Falls Central School District, was arrested accused of sending sexual pictures via cell-phone, as well as soliciting girls to send pictures to him. He is also accused of sexual contact with a female less than 17 years old. The incidents occurred over a period of time during the 2007 school year.

He was arraigned on charges of disseminating indecent material to minors in the 1st degree, promoting sexual performance of a child, criminal Sexual Act in the 3rd degree and endangering the welfare of a child.

Meehan subbed 17 times before the district became aware of suspicious activity.

Anyone with additional information about this investigation or other incidents involving minors and computer/cell-phone abuse, or anyone interested in learning more about the dangers is asked to contact the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office at (585) 243-7100.

Port St. Lucie, FLORIDA

ARRESTED: Sept. 5, 2007 -
Steven Maffucci, 30, an English teacher from Treasure Coast High School, was arrested after he sent three students sexual messages via cell phone and My Space. Two of the girls were 16 years old; a third girl was 15.

One of the girls reported him to the school resource officer. Maffucci was fired today. He worked for the school for two years.

One 16-year-old girl told deputies that she responded to the messages for a while to see "how far he would take it." She blocked his messages after he told her he was touching himself. He also sent her text messages on her cell phone and attempted to call her after she blocked his online messages, according to the police report.

The girl reported him Tuesday to a school resource officer at Treasure Coast High. Maffucci told deputies at first that he did not have inappropriate relationships with students, but later admitted that he asked to see one girl naked and told her he was touching himself. He told deputies that he "may have been masturbating" as he messaged with one of the girls, according to the report.

He was charged with lewd computer solicitation of a child. He is being held on $25,000 bail at the St. Lucie County Jail.

Magnolia, ARKANSAS

August 21, 2008 - Allison Dean, 30, a Magnolia School District teacher who resigned last Wednesday, was arrested, accused of giving drugs to a male student and having sex with him, over eight months. The boy is 15.

Dean faces eight counts of sexual assault, with each count punishable from six to thirty years in prison.
Columbia County
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Poll at the news story asks, What do you think is the most pressing issue facing schools? Your choices: Teacher shortage, Test scores, Drop-out rates.
Headline is: Teacher Turns Herself in for Affair with Student
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August 23 - (From Arkansas Democrat Gazette) Dean resigned her teaching position with the Magnolia School District on Aug. 15.

The probable-cause affidavit filed by the sheriff’s office Thursday afternoon said that on Aug. 12, the boy’s mother became suspicious of her son’s cell-phone use and confiscated the phone. While she had the phone, the mother saw a text message and answered a call. When the mother asked for the caller’s identity, the caller hung up. The mother also found several text messages related to drug use when she reviewed messages on the phone.

Dean is the second Magnolia Junior High School teacher arrested on sex-related charges in less than four months. Donna Lou Sanders, 46, was arrested April 23. Entry

Somerville, NEW JERSEY

Found guilty by a jury. Sentenced to seven years in prison.

Dec 23, 2006 - Pamela Balogh, 39, , pleaded not guilty to allegations she sexually assaulted a 15-year-old female student while working at Immaculata High School in New Jersey.
(Picture: KATHY JOHNSON/COURIER NEWS)

Balogh was arrested Dec 14 and is charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

From the Star-Ledger: "During her 12-year tenure as coach at Immaculata, she was named The Star-Ledger coach of the year three times for Somerset County." (This seemed to be significant for them.)

PLEA OFFERED Mar 23, 2007 - The Courier-News reports that Pamela Balogh appeared in court today and was offered a prison term of 10 years in exchange for a guilty plea.

She was indicted last month on charges of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, third-degree charges of aggravated criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. Balogh has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mar 23 - Star-Ledger As part of the agreement, she would have to serve 85 percent of that time. link

PLEA DEAL REJECTED - July 17 - Balogh rejected a plea agreement that would have meant pleading to a first degree charge, but serving time for a 2nd degree offense and 8 years in prison.
TRIAL BEGINS - Nov 27 - Jury selection will begin today in the trial of Pam Balogh.

TAPED CONFESSION Nov 30- The taped confession of Balogh was played in the court.

STUDENT TESTIFIES Dec 4 - The student, now 18, testified about trinkets that Balogh gave her during study hall and the lengthy phone calls.

TRIAL CONTINUES Dec 4 - The mother of the student broke down Monday on the witness stand when she testified that phone bills showed Balogh had called her daughter's cell phone more than 50 times. The mother testified that she also found in her daughter's closet a bag containing gifts from Balogh.

The student's boyfriend testified that he received a phone call from her in December 2006, saying that she and Balogh had been "sexually involved" and that the rumors in school about their relationship were true. The boyfriend, who was a senior when he dated the student, a junior, said she was very upset and he told her to speak to her parents.

A school guidance counselor testified that Balogh once told her that because of the team's success she was "golden." The counselor also testified that Balogh called her wanting to get in touch with the student.

BALOGH TESTIFIES Dec 5 - Former Immaculata High School girls basketball and girls lacrosse coach Pam Balogh admitted Tuesday in testimony during her trial on sexual-assault charges that she had a sexual relationship with one of her players.
"I knew it was wrong," Balogh said.

DELIBERATIONS Dec 5 - The jury has begun deliberations after closing arguments.

The assistant prosecutor also characterized Balogh as arrogant, citing the teacher's quote that she was considered "golden" and "untouchable" at Immaculata.Head-Mellilo also cited testimony from another witness, who quoted Balogh as saying "You have a better chance of seeing God than me getting fired."

GUILTY VERDICT Dec 6 - The jury found Balogh guilty of:

• second-degree sexual assault,
• third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact,
• third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and;
• fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

She was found not guilty of first-degree aggravated sexual assault. No sentencing date given.

PREVIOUSLY ALLOWED TO RESIGN Dec 7 - Home News Tribune: Balogh was allowed to resign from Immaculata in September 2004 when she was confronted by Immaculata administrators with an e-mail she sent to the student.

SENTENCED May 9, 2008 - Balogh was sentenced to seven years in prison. (Balogh will serve concurrently a seven-year sentence for second-degree sexual assault, four years for third-degree criminal sexual contact and one year for fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.)

Grand Junction, COLORADO

July 2, 2008 - Nefi Madrigal, 21, a tutor at Orchard Mesa Middle School, pleaded guilty to sending an obscene image to a 14-year-old girl. Prosecutors dropped the charge of felony Internet sexual exploitation of a child.

Authorities said Madrigal sent nude photographs of himself to the girl via her cell phone.
They were alerted when another student told police the 14-year-old girl showed her several pictures of Madrigal, one of which showed his genitalia.

The girl said she knew the pictures came from Madrigal’s phone because the phone displayed his number, the affidavit said

When he was arrested in May, he told police he had sent and received pictures to the girl, but non were inappropriate. He said he may have mistakenly sent the photos to the girl, but they were intended for his girlfriend in Utah. He said his girlfriend’s name is listed next to the girl’s in his phone book, but police said the girl’s name is listed four names away, the affidavit said.

Sentencing is scheduled for August.

North Miami Beach, FLORIDA

Just show up on Monday. We know what parts of you look like.

June 27, 2007 - Edison Muñoz, 51, a North Miami Beach Senior High math teacher, has been ordered to turn himself in for arrest on Monday.

The charge is showing obscene materials to a minor.

According to police, a 17-year-old student told detectives she was in class May 17 when Muñoz pulled out his black-and-silver Motorola flip-up cellphone that featured a photo of his son. She asked to see the photo.

After returning the phone, Muñoz said that ''he had more pictures to show [her] and gave her the cellular phone. When the victim looked at the picture on the cell phone she saw that it was a picture of an exposed penis,'' according to a search warrant filed in court.

His attorney says he plans to plead not guilty.

Birmingham, MICHIGAN

Updated to include sentencing.

Jan 25, 2007 - Dennis Carter, 52, a Seaholm High School teacher, pleaded guilty two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. The statutory rape charges stemmed from a sexual relationship he had with a former student who was 16 at the time.

Michigan law states a teacher cannot have a relationship with a student until the student turns 18. Otherwise the legal age of consent is 16.

A popular swim coach at Seaholm High, Carter first met the girl when she was a 13-year-old freshman at the school and a member of the swim team. The two began a relationship in 2003 that lasted for about a year.

"He would figure out lies to tell my parents of where we were, so that we could meet," she testified at the preliminary exam. "He bought an extra phone that was attached to his plan because my mom saw the cell phone bill for my plan and there were hundreds of calls and text messages from him. So he bought a different phone and gave it to me so my mom would think there was no contact."

Carter resigned after a police investigation revealed the relationship. Sentencing is scheduled for March 6.

UPDATE - Age from C&G story. Which makes this quote from his defense attorney in the original story so poignant.

"It's just unfortunate the law put him in this predicament," Sabbota said. "The fact is, she was a full participant in all the activities. She knew what she was doing"

Full name: Dennis Michael Carter

Mar 7 - Carter was sentenced to one and 15 years in prison.

Windham, OHIO

SENTENCED
Jan 3, 2007 -
David Nenzoski, 49, a band director at Windham Junior High, was arrested on charges that he had sex with a 13-year-old girl.

Jan 4, 2007 - Judge set $500,000 cash bond at arraignment. Nenzoski resigned. Preliminary hearing scheduled for Jan 12.

Jan 5, 2007 - Parents reacted. "The district has sent letters to parents informing them of the situation, including one parent who now wonders what the teacher's intentions were for her sixth grade daughter.

"He kept complimenting and complimenting how pretty she was," says Cathy Muncy, the mother of an 11-year old girl. "And then when she got the cell number, why would any teacher give a child the cell number?" [Bolding mine.]

Update Jan 6, 2007 - Nenzoski admitted having sex with a 13-year-old female student, possibly more than once, police report. The relationship between Nenzoski and the girl was discovered by the girls' parents in late December after they checked her cell phone and found many calls had been made to Nenziski.

Update Jan 13 - Nenzoski pleads not guilty. Trial is scheduled for March 20.

Update Mar 17 - Nenzoski pleaded guilty to six felony charges stemming from a sexual relationship he had with a 13-year-old Windham student. The plea agreement will likely mean 15 years (that isn't assured until formal sentencing ) registration as "sexually oriented offender" for ten years.
Full Name: David G. Nenzoski

May 8 - Nenzosk was sentenced to 13 years in prison. The judge also ordered Nenzoski be labeled as a sexually oriented offender upon his release from prison. That means he will be required to register his address with the sheriff's office of the county he resides in upon his release for 10 years.