Background Checks

Sept 30, 2007 - Arkansas Democrat Gazette: "Arrest reveals gaps in checks"

When teacher’s aide Robert N. Richards was arrested earlier this month on child pornography charges, school officials immediately removed him from the classroom.

But his bosses at Leverett Elementary School didn’t know at the time that Richards, 53, already had been in trouble with the law in Fayetteville.

He’d been convicted of seven misdemeanors since 1986 — four of which occurred after he began working with children in 1998.

State law requires non-licensed school employees such as teacher’s aides, janitors, etc. to undergo criminal background checks only once before they are hired.

Teachers Teachers undergo checks each time their licenses are up for renewal, which is typically every five years.

Police do not automatically notify school districts. School districts do not automatically notify the state Department of Education. And there is no statewide registry or database to alert districts when they hire.

TT - Link to Richards

Muskogee, OKLAHOMA

Sept 28, 2007 - Curtis Been, 37, a Midway High School Principal and coach, was arrested on multiple sex-related charges involving two underage girls.


He is charged with with three counts of lewd molestation, one count of forcible sodomy, one count of rape by instrumentation, three counts of second-degree rape, and one count of making a lewd or indecent proposal to a child younger than 16.

All but the indecent proposal charge involve a girl who was 14 when the alleged molestation began in August 2006.
Full Name: Curtis Thomas Been

Murray, KENTUCKY

You might remember her. She called a state trooper to set up a marijuana buy. She's going to get her job back. Good teacher material.

Feb 23, 2007 - Ann Greenfield, 34, a teacher at Murray Middle School, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to traffic a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A trooper got a text message on his cell phone, it was someone wanting to buy marijuana. The trooper called the number back, then set up a location and a time to meet with the person text messaging him.

No other details available.

Feb 23 - WLEX-tv reports that the text message sent to the trooper was the wrong number. He was at dinner with his wife and parents, celebrating her birthday when his phone started buzzing. He thought the text messages about buying marijuana were a joke. He set up the meeting where the teache was arrested.

Apr 25 - Ann Greenfield's attorney is challenging the evidence and whether officers needed a search warrant to seach Greenfield's car. Murray Independent School District Superintendent Bob Rogers said the system is in the process of terminating Greenfield’s contract.

A court date has been set for May 17.

OUTRAGE June 1, 2007 - Greenfield will get her job back, but not for five years. Fired after her arrest, A Kentucky Department of Education tribunal ruled Ann Greenfieldmust undergo drug treatment, and if she successfully passes fourrandom drug screenings during the suspension period, she can returnto the classroom in fall of 2009.

PLEADED GUILTY June 6 - Greenfield pleaded guilty to on misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and conspiracy to obtain marijuana (less than 8 ounces).

ANOTHER TRIAL July 10 - Greenfield will go to trial on charges of first-degree perjury for making a false statement to a grand jury. She was indicted on the felony charge in April - a month after the same grand jury indicted her on misdemeanor drug charges. Trial is set for October 31.

PERJURY CHARGES DISMISSED: Sept 29 - The felony perjury charge against a former middle school teacher has been dismissed. The charge was dropped Tuesday against former Murray Middle School teacher Ann Greenfield “without prejudice,” meaning there has been no determination made concerning the allegation, though Greenfield could face the charge again.

Greenfield temporarily lost her job at Murray Middle School through August 2009; however she will be reinstated to the position if she abides by the conditions of an agreement reached between Ward and Blankenship and accepted by Calloway County District Court.

Under the agreement, much of which was recommended by a Kentucky Board of Education tribunal, Greenfield must undergo drug testing, drug counseling and abide by other restrictions to keep her job.

Colorado Springs, COLORADO

ARRESTED: Jan 23, 2007 -
Matthew Prichard, 43, a Palmer High School teacher, has been arrested for Sexual Assault on a Child by One in Position of Trust.

His arrest comes after allegations that he had sexual contact with a 16-year-old female student in early 2006.

KKTV reported on the reactions of students at the school. Prichard is on paid administrative leave. And then: "Prichard is the second Southern Colorado teacher to be arrested this year accused of sexual misconduct involving minors. The other was a basketball coach at a charter school in Monument."

Jan 24, 2007 - Police taped a conversation between Prichard and the victim at a library.

SENTENCED: Sept 29 - Prichard pleaded guilty to a felony sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust. He was sentenced to 10 years to life of intensive, sex offender’s supervised probation after pleading guilty to a felony sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust.

Deputy District Attorney Abby Wallace said she was concerned that Prichard did not take responsibility for his actions because he told a presentence investigator the girl sent him notes and came on to him.

“He’s going to have to learn this was his fault,” Wallace said. “He’s the adult. This was wrong — no justifications, no excuses.”

Prichard’s attorney, Ted McClintock, told Crowder his client has “lost everything.” “He lost his job here, his house here, his marriage and all the friends he had here,” McClintock said.

Prichard apologized for his “mistake,” but seemed to be more sorry about how his criminal behavior affected his life.

“I’ve lost a great deal in this process,” Prichard said. “I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to rebuild my life.” Prichard is moving to be near family in Ohio.

Crowder said the only reason he didn’t send him to jail for up to 90 days is because the victim wanted him gone. “While on the scale of sexual assaults, this is on the low range, your being in a position of trust aggravates the crime,” he said.

Want the quick version?

TT-Summaries

Tallahassee, FLORIDA

CONVICTED: Sept 25, 2007 - Richard Saunders, 55, a chemistry teacher at Maclay School, was convicted of 300 counts of child pornography. Saunders admitted in the courtroom that he collected over 1 million pornographic images over the course of more than 20 years. He was arrested at his home last September.

Colleagues and parents testified, saying they had never seen Saunders do anything inappropriate. [How that is relevant is beyond us.]

The judge has delayed sentencing for a few days to consider the sentence.

TT - A poster at the site commented: "This scum bag states I only looked at the pictures but someone had to exploit the child to satisfy his deviant desire. No telling how many children he could have exploited while on line."

SENTENCED: Sept 28 - Saunders was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 40 years of probation. (Most of the article is about how the judge agonized over the sentencing.0

The minimum sentence for possession of child pornography is 1,000 months or about 83 years and the maximum is five years per count, said Saunders' lawyer, Robert Harper.

[Judge] Dekker gave a reduced sentenced to Saunders because she recognized his having the mental disorder pedophilia and his desire to seek treatment, among other reasons.

Assistant State Attorney Frank Allman said he has not decided whether he will appeal the sentence.

The judge said the court considered Saunders a “low risk” because as a teacher he had opportunities to act on his pedophilia but he never did.

TT - The fact is that someone abused those children for Saunders so he could vicariously enjoy the experience from the child pornography. For that alone, he should do the maximum.

Child Pornography and Teachers
TT - List guilty but not yet sentenced for child pornography.
TT - List sentenced for child pornography.

Tougher Sentences

About time.

Sept 28, 2007 - Tougher sentencing considered.

Several local lawmakers said Thursday they are interested in drafting legislation that would toughen child abuse laws to keep jailed molesters like former Coosa Elementary School teacher Philip Underwood-Sheppard behind bars for their entire sentence.

State Sen. Catherine Ceips, R-Beaufort, said she called Duffie Stone, solicitor for the 14th Judicial Circuit, Thursday to get the legislative process started and vowed to sponsor a bill when the legislature reconvenes.

Stone said Wednesday the legislature needs to classify sexual crimes like those Underwood-Sheppard pleaded guilty to in 2003 as violent crimes so inmates cannot be paroled early.
"When you're talking about child molestation, you're talking about the destruction of someone else's life," Ceips said. "We need to toughen that up."

Underwood was sentenced in 2002 to 25 years for molesting 9 students. He's up for parole in October of this year.

At present, inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes are eligible for parole after serving a quarter of their sentence.
TT - Maybe that's the part of the law they ought to change.

Oct 31 - Philip Underwood-Sheppard waived his right to a parole hearing. He has been incarcerated since April 29, 2002.

Rochester, NEW YORK

Eleven years for robbing a bank.


ARRESTED: Feb 2, 2007 -
Michael Bohn, 41, a teacher at Allendale Columbia in Rochester, was arrested on charges that he robbed a bank in Courtland, New York.

Police said a witness saw the bank being robbed around 5 p.m. and called 911. The police arrived as Bohn, who was armed with a handgun, left the bank, according to the police statement.

Witnesses said Bohn entered the bank at closing time, ordered employees and customers to the floor and ordered a bank employee to fill a bag with cash.

Screenshot of his faculty page at Allendale Columbia. Here
Full name: Michael J. Bohn

FIRED: Feb 13 - Allendale Columbia school fired Bohn. He is due back in court tomorrow.

INDICTED: Mar 9 - Bohn was indicted on robbery charges. He pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say he brought buckets of water with him to wash any dye off the money and he had a map of Canada in his car.
Bohn is being held in jail without bail.

GUILTY PLEA: August 15 - Bohn pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree grand larceny, all felonies, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. Two counts of first-degree robbery were dropped in exchange for his plea. He will be sentenced September 28.

SENTENCED: Sept 28 - Bohn was sentenced to 11 years in state prison for 1st degree robbery, criminal possession of a weapon in the 2nd degree, grand larceny in the 3rd degree and endangering the welfare of a child.

TT-Summaries

Americus, GEORGIA

Sept 27, 2007 - Carlton Flowers, 43, a a teacher at Sumter County Middle School, was arrested on drug charges.

When he was stopped by police, the officer said he smelled marijuana, and Flowers had a suspended driver's license, so he was arrested. A search of his car turned up a small amount of marijuana.

Bakersfield, CALIFORNIA

Guilty on five counts of first degree murder. Sentenced to death.





First reported on Jan 11, 2007 -
Vincent Brothers, 45, vice-principal is on trial, accused of killing his wife, Joanie Harper, age 39, their three children, (Marques, age 4; Lyndsey, age 2; Marshall, age 6 weeks) and his mother-in-law, Ernestine Harper, 70.

His family was found dead on July 8, 2003, and he was arrested in April 2004 on suspicion of committing the murders. Since that time there have been numerous delays, grandstanding, outrageous charges by the attorneys, and an attempt to tap into controversy when Brothers asked for the death penalty if he's convicted. Now it's the race card.

Defense attorneys are now arguing that there are not enough blacks in the jury pool in a motion to move the case to Los Angeles. Newspaper forum poster on the reason for the motion. Video from news photographer at newspaper on difficulty of photographing Brothers.

Feb 19, 2007 - Opening statements in the long-delayed trial of Vincent Brothers are scheduled for Wednesday.

But Brothers appears to have had tumultuous relationships with women. Harper was his third wife - the first two having ended in divorce. In 1990, the year his first marriage ended, Brothers was convicted of spousal abuse, according to police. The second marriage lasted only a few months and was described in court filings as "turbulent."

Brothers and Harper married in January 2000, divorced, and then remarried in 2004. Their three children, Marques, Lyndsey and Marshall, were 4, 2, and 6 weeks old at the time of the murders. The fifth victim was Harper's 70-year-old mother, Ernestine Harper.

The D.A. alleges that Brother arranged a visit to his brother in Ohio as an alibi, rented a car and drove to Bakersfield to kill his family. "The car's odometer showed he had driven 5,400 miles around the time of the murders, police said."

The two sides have filed close to 150 motions in the case, including a motion to move the trial to Los Angeles and a motion to dismiss. Brothers has remained in jail for three years while the trial has been continuously delayed in the motion process.

Update Feb 19 - Who's Who in the Trial (TT - More than you would ever want to know, but it's an indication of the sensationalism of the trial in Bakersfield that might be a big factor in the outcome.)

Update May 15 - The jury found Brothers guilty on five counts of first degree murder. He started crying during the reading of the guilty verdicts on the counts of killing his children.

The penalty phase will begin Monday and will be heard by the same jury. The judge ruled that pprosecutor Lisa Green can present evidence of a domestic violence conviction against Brothers in 1988 stemming from a spat with a girlfriend. It is expected to take four to seven days.

Update May 29 - The jury that convicted Brothers recommended the death penalty. (Not that it will ever happen in this century.)

SENTENCED: Sept 27 - Brothers was sentenced to death. Superior Court Judge Michael Bush handed down the sentence Thursday.

Teacher Recruitment Scam

Sept 27, 2007 - Foreign teacher recruitment scam.

Judge Kathleen Cardone of the United District Court of Western District of Texas in El Paso set the new trial of three Filipino recruiters on Jan. 4, 2008. The accused are held for allegedly bringing hundreds of Filipino teachers into the United States even if most of them have no job employments waiting for them.

The month long jury trial was announced by Daryl Fields, public affairs officer of the United States Attorney’s office in Houston, Texas. Named in the 26-page “second superceding indictment” were OMNI Consortium, Multicultural Professionals, Multicultural Education Consultants Noel Cedro Tolentino, his wife Angelica Tolentino, and his mother, Florita Tolentino.

The recruiting company charged the prospective teachers a number of fees.

Each teacher was also required to pay $1,500.00 placement fee “to a Philippine company, associated with defendants,” where defendants have percentage; “pay one of the defendants airfare, furniture and other assorted fees” after being selected by a school district for possible employment; or a total of approximately “$10,000.00 or more, requiring many of the teachers to acquire loans at high interest (60% APR) rates thru their associates “C.J. Librodo and/or Owen Carsi Cruz.”

They recruited for Ysleta Independent School District (YISD), Socorro Independent School District (SISD), El Paso School Independent School District (EPSID) -- all in El Paso -- together with South San Antonio Independent School District (SSAISD), and Brownsville Independent School District (BISD).

In BISD, although only 16 teachers were needed, OMNI requisitioned for 38. Originally, 100 job orders were placed. For YISD, the Omni Consortium recruited 53 teachers although only two were needed. Omni subsequently allowed 43 to travel to the U.S.

Out of the originally requested 100 teachers for SISD, nothing was accepted but OMNI still sent 69 “displaced” teachers to the US. For EPISD, out of 33 recruits, three were not accepted but still traveled to the US.

OMNI usually asked prospective schools representatives to travel to the Philippines and other countries like China to interview recruits. One of the representatives, Mario Aguilar, former superintendent of the Socorro Independent School District, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of failing to report gifts to a public official. This included a trip to China within the trip to the Philippines. He was sentenced to one year of probation.

Aguilar’s wife, Vista Del Sol Elementary School Principal Magdalena Aguilar was also sentenced to one year of probation for receiving a gift. Six-month probation.

Raye Lokey, former Ysleta Independent School District associate superintendent for human resources, was sentenced to six months of probation for aiding illegal entry. The US attorney’s office said that 273 Filipino teachers were brought to the United States during 2002-04. Less than 100 actually had jobs waiting for them.

GUILTY PLEA Jan 5, 2008 - Noel Cedro Tolentino and his mother, Florita Cedro Tolentino both pleaded guilty on Jan 2 to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. in exchange for the dismissal of all the other charges. It wasn't clear Friday what happened to the case against Angelica Tolentino.

As part of the their plea, the Tolentinos also agreed to forfeit assets, including a 1996 Mercedes Benz, a 1999 BMW, real estate properties in Houston and McAllen, and money from five bank accounts. They are scheduled to be sentenced in March.

SENTENCED August 26 - Both Noel Tolentino and his mother were sentenced to three months probation each. Charges against Noel Tolentino's wife, Angelica Tolentino, who was also implicated in the case, were dismissed Friday after she agreed to not contest the forfeiture order. Noel was detained by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement. His work visa had expired.

The 2007 trial was declared a mistrial because a couple of jury members said they had read a newspaper article about the proceedings.

Tucson, ARIZONA

ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES.

Sept 25, 2007 - Netzahaulcoy Ramos, 34, a Challenger Middle School teacher, is on trial on six counts of sexual conduct with a minor. The newspaper terms it "a six-month-long sexual affair with a 13-year-old student."

The married father of three is alleged to have begin an affair with the girl on Dec. 31, 2003, and it lasted until June 9, 2004, according to prosecutors.

ACQUITTED: Ramos was acquitted by the jury.

ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES.

Charlottesville, VIRGINIA

GUILTY PLEA: June 26, 2007 - Jonathan Spivey, 47, a choir teacher at Charlottesville High School and a "and a prominent member of the community" pleaded guilty to one count of custodial indecent liberties. He entered an Alford plea (No Contest) on three other charges.

There were four underage male victims in seven years. (One spoke to NBC 29 in Dec 2006.) From NBC 29: Three of those students were Spivey’s music students. Victims say Spivey would ask them to enter his office and he made sexual proposals towards them. With three of them, he actually participated in sexual contact.

In December 2006, Spivey was supposed to turn himself in at a bond hearing, but he missed the court date. He was reportedly at a psychiatric hospital. His attorney did not say what led to his commitment, but did say Spivey's diagnosis will be crucial to his defense.

The Commonwealth's attorney said he confirmed Spivey's condition. “We have received appropriate and assurances and have been able to double check and verify for ourselves that he is in the hospital; it is a legitimate medical condition,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman.

Chapman doesn’t normally comment on pending cases, but made an acceptation [sic] in this case.

Spivey is married and the father of two children. He will be sentenced September 27.

SENTENCED: Sept 27 - Spivey was sentenced to one year and nine months in jail, followed by five years' probation. He will have to register as a sex offender.

Several character witnesses described Spivey as an upstanding member of his church and school. One city police officer testified that Spivey took him in during his troubled adolescence and inspired him to turn his life around.

However, prosecutors allege that Spivey had inappropriate relationships with four male students over a seven-year period, with the youngest victim being only 15. In some cases, he had sexual relations with student on school grounds, and once on a chorus trip, a prosecutor said.

TT- Not what you call a robust sentencing.

Oct 2 - Under the circumstances, the sentence was more than expected. Cville News:

Wait, you say—only 21 months for having sex with underage students in the chorus room closet during school hours between 2000 and 2006? Aren’t Elisa Kelly and George Robinson currently serving 27 months in jail for serving alcohol at their son’s 16th birthday party?

What’s even stranger is that the sentence is cause for celebration in the prosecutor’s office.

“That was a substantial sentence,” says Elizabeth Killeen, assistant Commonwealth’s attorney for Charlottesville. “The sentencing guidelines in the case only called for one day to three months. That’s not unusual when a person has no prior criminal record, and if I had 100 counts of this offence charged, [the guidelines] would always have [called] for that.”

Killen points out that Spivey’s sentence is seven times the guidelines’ upper end.

In fact, sentencing guidelines for sex crimes involving children are usually lower than those involving adults.

Guidelines are based on statistics gathered from cases around the state. And the sentences for cases involving children are usually lower statewide because the prosecution generally works hard for a plea deal in order to keep children off the witness stands.In other words: A criminal is likely to get a higher sentence for raping an adult than for raping a child.

Prosecutors had charged Spivey with seven counts of sexual misconduct when he was arrested in November, but dropped three with the plea deal. Spivey, a married father of two, had originally come under investigation for similar reasons in 2001, but the investigation was dropped when Spivey’s alleged victim withdrew his accusation. In September 2006, police opened a new investigation after a CHS student complained that he had been sexually propositioned by Spivey and detained for almost two hours.

Katy, TEXAS

ARRESTED: Mar 5, 3007 - Eighth grade math teacher
Emily Willis, 28, was arrested after she was discovered with a student in a car parked in an isolated area.

Willis teaches at McDonald Junior High School.
Full Name: Emily S. Willis

CHARGED: Mar 5 - Willis was charged with sex assault of a child. Police found her naked in the back seat of a parked car with a 14-year-old boy. Authorities identified the boy as a student at the same school she teaches.

She has been placed on unpaid leave.
Sidebar story at site - $13 million in marijuana seized from two yellow school buses in Houston that were used in transporting large amounts of illegal drugs from the southern border of Texas.

ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE: Mar 22 - Katy Independent School District trustees want to fire Willis. She was placed on administrative leave without pay after the incident for failing to meet the accepted standards of professional conduct. She can appeal to the commissioner of education.

“She is allowed due process, and she can choose to have a hearing before the school board or before a hearing officer,” said Debbie Harris, the district’s assistant superintendent for human resources.

Her arraignment is scheduled for April 4.

TERMINATION: Mar 26 - School Board of Trustees voted unanimously Wednesday evening to both the suspend the pay of and approve the termination of the probationary contract of Emily Willis.

Katy Times news story includes this: Another teacher arrested on Monday. Tamara Ryman, a 37-year-old female pre-calculus and algebra teacher at Bellaire High School was arrested after being found with a 16-year-old male student who was naked from the waist down in a van.

GUILTY PLEA: August 15 - MyFox 11 Houston: Willis pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual abuse of a child and will be sentenced Sept. 26. Houston Chronicle report on plea.

SENTENCED: Sept 26 - Willis was sentenced to to ten years of deferred adjudication (probation) and 180 days in jail-- not prison.

Casa Grande, ARIZONA

An answer to, "Whatever happened to Mr. Pelz?"

Sept 26, 2007 - John Peltz, 36, a former high school English and literature teacher in Casa Grande, was indicted, along with three other men, on federal charges including conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and false statements to the FBI.

He is accused by the FBI of selling homemade anabolic steroids nationwide using MySpace.com

"When I knew him, he was an upstanding guy," said Dr. Anna McCauley, principal of Casa Verde High School, in a phone interview Wednesday. She previously worked as a teacher with Peltz in Casa Grande and wrote a letter on his behalf this summer to the judge.

In a June 2007 letter to the judge in his local case, Peltz apologized for his crime and said he hoped to return to teaching someday.

"Being an athletic, muscular English teacher definitely had an impact on some of the more hardened knuckleheads that I had the pleasure of teaching," Peltz said. "To know I played a small part in that would bring me more satisfaction than any fat paycheck."

Peltz was convicted of attempted transfer of dangerous drugs by Arizona authorities. He reached a plea deal and was sentenced to three years probation in June.

Austin, TEXAS

Sept 26, 2007 - Michael Mason, 30, an LBJ High School special education teacher, pleaded guilty to sexual assault of one of his students and to having an improper relationship between an educator and student.

He was sentenced to 10 years of deferred adjudication, which is a form of probation. Mason will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. The girl was 15 in 2004.

Port Charlotte, FLORIDA

Sept 26, 2007 - Crystal Bashford, 21, a teacher at Palm Christian Academy, was arrested and charged with one count of lewd or lascivious battery for having sex with a 14-year-old boy.

The boy confided in an employee at the George Mullen Center, who in turn contacted the Department of Children and Families, which then contacted North Port Police.

Full Name: Crystal Marie Bashford

Ladysmith, WISCONSIN

ARRAIGNED July 9, 2007 -
Michael Stratton, 26, a substitute teacher at Ladysmith High School, was arraigned on one felony count of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, and two misdemeanor counts of exposing genitals to a child. Stratton entered a plea of not guilty to all three charges.

Police say one of the girls was his student at Ladysmith High School. The other, he met on a ski trip. No other information available. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for August 9.

GUILTY PLEA & SENTENCING: Sept 25 - Stratton pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of exposing his genitals to a child. He was sentenced to three years probation as part of a plea deal.

Tunnel Hill, GEORGIA

No jail time for sexual battery of an 11-year-old girl.

Mar 5, 2007 - Jesse Gentry, 26, a third grade teacher at Tiger Creek Elementary School, was arrested, charged with two counts of child molestation involving an 11-year-old girl. The alleged victim was living with Gentry's fiancee.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office have been investigating the 26-year-old teacher for one week.
Full Name: Jesse Wayne Gentry

Mar 6 - Gentry has been released on bond. A September court date is anticipated. Gentry has been on administrative leave since Feb 28.

GUILTY PLEA AND SENTENCING: Sept 24 - Gentry pleaded guilty to the sexual battery of an 11 year old girl. The state decided against jail time for Gentry. Instead, he was ordered to serve 10 years probation and pay a $3400 fine.

Chattanooga Times Free Press: Gentry was sentenced to two five-year probation terms, to be served consecutively. Prosecutors said Mr. Gentry also must register as a sex offender.

[Assistant District Attorney Len] Gregor said the state agreed to accept the guilty plea to lesser charges, in part, to keep the victim from having to testify at trial.

He said the plea guaranteed an admission of guilt from the man who had received rousing support from some in the community who did not believe the charges.

"(The state) basically had a situation where the victim was called and made to feel like a liar," the assistant district attorney said.

"Even if this had gone to trial, and we successfully obtained convictions, then the defendant would have still been in a position to claim he was wrongfully convicted," Mr. Gregor said. "Whereas here, he stood up in front of a judge and admitted to doing those acts for which he was charged."

Doylestown, PENNSYLVANIA

BULLETIN: Anderson committed suicide. He was due to be sentenced this week.




ARRESTED: May 8, 2007 -
Jeffrey Anderson, 23, was arrested alleged to have had sex with two ninth-grade girls.

Anderson was charged with 15 offenses including, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of minors.

He was a substitute at Tohickon Middle School in Plumstead Township. He communicated with the 14 and 15-year-old girls over Web sites like facebook.com and AOL Instant Messenger and a cell phone.

Prosecutors said he was arrested after the girls' parents monitored those Web sites with "I Am Big Brother" software. [Good for them.]

A post on Anderson’s facebook.com account reads, “Please, please, PLEASE, nothing that is said or done between the three of us can EVER be repeated to anyone else!!! I could get fired, never become a teacher again, or go to jail don't tell anyone.”

May 9 - Gibbons said Anderson engaged in sex acts with both girls at the 15-year-old gir's home and later bragged about it online,

“Hah ... im so going to hell ... I can't believe I hooked up with two 9th graders!!” Anderson allegedly wrote in an instant message on Facebook.com, a popular Web site.

A 14-year-old eighth-grader at Tohickon, said Anderson was his substitute for English, music and study hall. Derek said Anderson often whistled at girls in the hallway and “stared at their chests.”
“I'm not surprised that he got arrested,” Derek said. “But most of the people in school thought he was only kidding.”

Anderson remains in jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.

TT - Our apology. We should have, and finally did, look up the school.

GUILTY PLEA August 8 - Before his scheduled trial, Anderson pleaded guilty of having sexual contact with two female students.

From the Bucks County Courier Times:

Anderson will be sentenced in about 90 days on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and criminal use of communications devices.

The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five to 10 years in a state prison.

Anderson is free on $500,000 bail while the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board in Harrisburg reviews his case to determine if he meets the criteria of a sexually violent predator. A predator finding would mean lifetime registration and court-supervised sex offender treatment, and Anderson's neighbors would be notified each time he moves to a new community.

The Morning Call refers to him as "a well-known coach."

SUICIDE: Sept 25 - Anderson asphyxiated himself with a gas stove in a closed room on Saturday. He was scheduled to be sentenced this week and faced 10 to 20 years in prison.

Fremont, NEBRASKA

ARRESTED: June 4, 2007 -
Brandy Reynolds, 24, a teacher at Omaha Baptist Academy from 2004 - 2006, was arrested, charged with ith first-degree sexual assault for sex with a 15-year-old student in 2005. The boy was a student at the school.

The boy's family contacted the state Health and Human Services System and a complaint was filed with police.

It is illegal in Nebraska for a person 19 or older to have sexual contact with a person under 16.

Arraignment is scheduled for June 19.

NOT GUILTY PLEA: July 3 - Reynolds pleaded not guilty. She is scheduled to return to court July 23.

August 1 - Reynolds' trial is scheduled for August 21.

NO CONTEST PLEA: August 16 - Reynolds pleaded no contest to attempted first-degree sexual assault, a felony. The original first-degree sexual assault charge was dropped as part of a deal for her plea. The prosecutor agreed to make no recommendation for sentencing.

From Fremont Tribune:

Rubbing her wedding ring as tears streamed down her face, Brandy Reynolds could barely be heard when she pleaded no contest to attempted first-degree sexual assault Wednesday in Dodge County District Court.

The investigation began after an anonymous report to the state Health and Human Services department.

The boy's parents also reported the case. The affidavit stated the boy's parents found out about the relationship from Pastor Adam Love of Calvary Baptist Church in Fremont after Reynolds had confided in him about the relationship.

She will also be a registered sex offender.

“I wanted to try to resolve (the case) without the victim having to through the trial process,” Vaughan said. “This will still cause her to have to register as a sex offender.”

He said the conviction also would prevent Reynolds from teaching children and limit her contact with minors.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 24.

SENTENCED: Sept 24 - Reynolds was sentenced to four to eight years in prison.

From the Omaha World-Herald:

After reviewing the evidence, [Judge] Samson denied Reynolds' request for leniency."You were the one who was the more mature individual," Samson told Reynolds. "You were put in a position of trust." After sentencing, Reynolds put her head on the wooden defense table and sobbed. More than a dozen friends and relatives, including Reynolds' husband, packed the courtroom to show support.

State College, PENNSYLVANIA

Sept 24, 2007 - Michael E. Miller, 41, a Mount Nittany Middle School teacher, was arraigned on charges that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a local teenager. He is charged with four felonies, including sexual abuse of children and unlawful contact or communication with minors.

According to a criminal complaint filed by State College police, the parents of the teenager alerted authorities in April to “a possible inappropriate relationship between a teacher and their 17-year-old daughter.”

Police interviewed Miller. He at first denied but soon admitted to having a sexual relationship with the teenager, according to the complaint.

Miller also admitted that he had sex with the youth “approximately twice a month for the past seven to eight months,” the complaint says.

Earlier this year, Miller pleaded guilty to a charge — corruption of minors — that stemmed from that relationship. On Sept. 6, according to the complaint, was sentenced to five years of probation.

The arraignment today focused on additional charges against Miller. On Sept. 12, the complaint says, the teenager’s parents reported to police that their daughter just disclosed more details about the relationship.

She soon told police that she engaged “in sexual talk over the phone with Miller” when she was 15 years old, according to the complaint.

A preliminary is scheduled for Oct 3.

Clinton, SOUTH CAROLINA

Sept 23, 2007 - Police arrested Karen Robbins, 49, a special education teacher at Thornwell School, on charges she had sex with a child under 16. Robbins is charged with three counts of a lewd act on a child, and three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a child.

According to arrest warrants, the incidents happened over a three month period back in 2005.

She most recently taught at Bell Street Middle School through August of this year.

Nov 10 - WYFF 5 : Friday, the solicitor's office offered Robbins a plea deal. She has until her next court date on Dec. 7th to decide whether to accept the offer.
Laurens County

S.C. educator certificate Summarily Suspended in October 2007.

INDICTED - Received Jan 30, 2008.

Van Nuys, CALIFORNIA

Sept 22, 2007 - Rodolfo Rabonza, 33, a fourth grade teacher at Saint Elisabeth Catholic School, was arrested and charged with Lewd Acts on a Minor for sex crime against a 15-year-old male.

The alleged incident occurred at a health club.

LAPD Press Release (Dated Sept 20, 2007)

Anyone who has information or even additional questions are advised to immediately contact Van Nuys Detective John Eum, Sexual Assault Unit at 818-374- 0093.
On weekends or during off-hours and non-business hours, do not hesitate to call the 24-hour toll free tip line umber at 1-877-LAWFULL (529-3855).

Modesto, CALIFORNIA

Sept 22, 2007 -
Lewis Wilhelm, 41, a Modesto High School band instructor, was arrested for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old student.

CBS 13: They say the girl, who was also a member of the band, was only 14 when the relationship began.

He is facing one count of lewd and lascivious acts with a child. The girl told a friend about the relationship. The girl's friends reported the relationship to school officials, who contacted Modesto police.

Detectives seized evidence from Wilhelm's home, including a computer and a cell phone. Wilhelm's 15-year-old son was home at the time of the arrest and released to his grandmother.

Sept 23 - From the Modesto Bee: Craig Gundlach, a Modesto police spokesman, said there was no indication that sexual intercourse took place.

Modesto police ask anyone with information about this crime to call CrimeStoppers at 521-4636. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

Modesto Police Department Press Release (Sept 22, 2007)

Wellington, KANSAS

Feb 23, 2007 - DeAnna Abasolo-Farley, 34, a Wellington High school para-educator, was in court Thursday to update the judge on progress she has made in finding a lawyer.

Abasolo-Farley was arrested Feb 12, on charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and unlawful relations between a teacher and student between the ages of 16 and 17. She made her first court appearance on the charges Feb 15.

She will be back in court Mar 5.
Full Name: DeAnna M. Abasolo-Farley

Update Mar 9 - Abasolo-Farley's preliminary hearing has been moved to March 15. The married mother of four resigned her school position in late January. She is currently free on $20,000 bond.

Update May 3 - Abasolo-Farley, "dressed in an orange shirt and jeans," made a court appearance. "Sitting next to her as usual, was her husband Phillip Farley, who has been in tow for every court appearance his wife has made." [No description of what he was wearing.]

Her attorney asked for three weeks continuance time for discovery purposes. According to court clerks, the three weeks of discovery could give the ex para time to work out a plea negotiation.

Update May 25 - "Abasolo-Farley waited outside of the courtroom Thursday with husband, Phillip Farley, while her Wichita defense attorney Phillip White asked the court to set a preliminary hearing for his client.: A preliminary has been scheduled for June 14.

GUILTY PLEA: Sept 21 - Abasolo-Farley changed her plea to guilty. The plea agreement calls for 30 months in jail with 3 years of post-release supervision. She will be required to be on the registered sex offender list for at least 10 years. She will be formally sentenced Oct 4.

Papillion, NEBRASKA

ARRESTED: Sept 21, 2007 - Mike Govig, 44, a coach at Papillion-La Vista High School, was arrested on child pornography charges.

In a twelve page complaint unsealed Friday, a special agent for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says the coach had hundreds of images of child porn on his computer. In court papers that they started their investigation into a website called "Home Collection" a year-and-a-half ago. That led them to other child porn websites like "Sexy Angels," "Spycam Lolitas," Lollivirgins," and "Excited Angels."

On December 27, 2006, agents say Govig paid Pay Pal a monthly subscription fee of $99.95 to access the websites.

Three days ago, ICE agents and other law enforcement agencies raided Govig's house in La Vista and took his laptop. Court papers say he reportedly admitted to agents that he lives alone, had downloaded the video files, and said the girls in the videos were about 12.

Agents dispute this, saying one movie file shows a 6 to 10-year-old girl performing oral sex on an adult male. They say a second movie shows a 6 to 10-year-old touching herself.

Govig was hired this summer as the assistant softball coach at Creighton University. They fired him.

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.

Pinellas Park, FLORIDA

Sept 21, 2007 - Police have referred Principal Joseph Paul Milana to prosecutors for possible obstruction charges, along with Bryant Alexander and teacher Roslyn Holloway for possible child abuse charges.

All three work at Oak Park School, a charter school for troubled students.

all started, deputies say, when a group of teenage students became disruptive during class Wednesday. One of them made an offense remark towards the teacher, and she left the classroom in tears.

Another teacher, identified by deputies as 35-year-old Bryant Alexander, entered the classroom to restore order, accompanied by two older students from another classroom. He then sat in the back of the room, investigators say, while the two older boys berated the younger troublemakers.

According to detectives, no injuries were reported after the confrontation, but several students were pushed from their seats onto the floor and at least one student was slapped in the back of the head by the older student.

The whole thing lasted for about a half-hour and only ended when school dismissal time arrived.
The next day, a parent complained about the altercation. Deputies say Alexander and another teacher denied any involvement, but investigators decided they had enough evidence to arrest the 16-year-old.

Before they could do that, they say the school principal on Friday morning arranged for a staff member to drive the suspect home, temporarily preventing his arrest. But the 16-year-old student was arrested at his home on five counts of misdemeanor battery and one count of misdemeanor assault.

Neither teacher tried to intervene while other students were abused. Police became involved when a parent found out.

Tampa Tribune: Teachers May Be Charged (Sept 21)

Sept 22 - Fox News is now characterizing it as "accusations that two school teachers enlisted two older boys to beat up younger students in the classroom as a form of discipline, and then tried to thwart a police probe of the incident"

Schaumburg, ILLINOIS

Sept 21, 2007 - Patrick McCarthy, 30, a special ed teacher at Robert Frost Junior High, was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated battery and one count of unlawful restraint.

Staff members advised the principal of the allegations. The principal contacted the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and Schaumburg police, and Schaumburg Township Elementary School District 54 immediately removed McCarthy from the classroom, the release said. NBC5's Anthony Ponce reported the staff member both saw and heard the alleged incidents.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct 19.
Full Name: Patrick Edward McCarthy

See Chicago Sun-Times' coverage.

INDICTED Oct 19 - McCarthy was indicted on three counts of aggravated battery and one count of unlawful restraint. He is accused of shoving one boy into a metal cabinet and tying another to a chair with a jump rope. He is on paid administrative leave. [The reaction to which posters at the news site refer to the teacher as a "piece of sh--"]

El Cerrito, CALIFORNIA

ARRESTED: Nov 21, 2006 -
Achi Ben-Shalom, 52, A music and Hebrew teacher at a private Jewish day school, was arrested for for alleged "lewd and lascivious acts" with a female student.

Jan 31, 2007 - Prosecutors filed a felony child molestation charge Tuesday against a former teacher at a Jewish day school accused of groping a student.

CONVICTED: August 24, 2007 - A jury acquitted Shalom of felony child molestation, but it convicted him of misdemeanor counts of assault and battery.

The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office had not charged Ben Shalom with the misdemeanors. At trial, the judge instructed jurors that they had the option of finding Ben Shalom guilty of lesser, nonsexual crimes.

Deputy District Attorney Colleen Gleason said the verdict means jurors did not find beyond a reasonable doubt that Ben Shalom had a sexual intent, but that he may have touched the girl in a way she did not like.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 21.

SENTENCED: Sept 21 - Ben-Shalom was sentenced to to 90 days in County Jail for misdemeanor assault and battery against a former student. He must also serve three years of county probation. He also cannot work as a teacher or in a position of trust with children and cannot possess pornography.

Port Isabel, TEXAS

Sept 20, 2007 - Joseph Sadler, 29, a Port Isabel High School coach, was arrested on suspicion of indecency with a child, a third-degree felony for an improper relationship with a student.

The age of the student wasn't given. Sadler resigned.
Full Name: Joseph Andrew Sadler

Sept 21 - A municipal judge barred television and newspaper reporters from the courtroom during the arraignment Friday of former Port Isabel High School assistant coach, Joseph Sadler. [The result was that there are no details that would be normally available.]

Portland, MAINE

Sept 10, 2007 -
Melvin Logan, 67, was found guilty on 19 counts of possessing sexually explicit material. The child pornography was found on his computer in 2004 when he took his personal computer to a repair shop, and a technician there found digital images showing young boys and girls naked and engaged in sex acts with adults

Prior convictions against Logan in New York, included a child endangerment case when he was a teacher in the 1980s.

He will be sentenced later this week.

SENTENCED: Sept 20 - Logan was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by six years of close probation. The Maine Legislature recently changed the law on child pornography, making it a felony to possess images of children clearly under the age of 12. At the time of Logan's arrest in 2004, that crime was classified as a misdemeanor, carrying a maximum sentence of a year in prison.

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Norbert displayed several of those images on a video screen at the sentencing hearing. Some in the courtroom turned their eyes.

"Each time that photo is saved or downloaded, that child is exploited," Norbert said.
Norbert also discussed information that was not allowed in the trial, including a 500-page handwritten manuscript found by police in Logan's apartment.

The manuscript, Norbert said, documented Logan's life as a pedophile, beginning in the 1960s in Rochester, N.Y.

Logan, a former high school English teacher, wrote in detail about having sex with students, Norbert said, adding that she contacted and spoke by telephone to some of those former students named in the manuscript.

Logan and his attorney, Joel Vincent, said the manuscript was part fact, part fiction, and should not be considered in the sentencing.

Norbert also noted Logan's prior convictions in New York, for child endangerment, grand larceny and disorderly conduct. She requested a sentence of six years in prison because of the aggravating factors.

"He is a true child predator," Norbert said. "This began in his early 20s, and here he is today at 67, continuing to prey on children."

Oct 19 - State corrected. Thank you.

Child Pornography and Teachers
TT - List guilty but not yet sentenced for child pornography.
TT - List sentenced for child pornography.

Houston, TEXAS

Sept 20, 2007 - Donald Carpenter, 45, a Smiley High School teacher, was arrested and charged with improper relations with a student. She was 17 years old at the time.

His arrest follows a lengthy investigation, police said.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact the HPD Sex Crime Unit at (713) 308-1180.

The girl is a special needs student. Detectives said Carpenter may have had inappropriate contact with other students.