West Seneca, NEW YORK

August 12, 2008 - Anthony Harper, 34, a West Seneca East Middle School French teacher, pleaded guilty to a felony-level sodomy charge involving a 13-year-old boy. During the plea proceeding, Harper signed a document terminating him immediately as a West Seneca school teacher. As a part of the plea agreement, misdemeanor sex abuse and child endangerment charges were dropped.
He will be sentenced November 12.

Full Name: Anthony D. Harper

SENTENCED December 5 - Harper was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years of court supervision . He resigned in August after pleading guilty and had to surrender his New York teacher's certificate.

State Supreme Court Justice John L. Michalski reminded Harper that "The community will be safe from your predatory behavior.” Michalski also reminded him that he will now remain a closely watched sex offender.

Twin Falls, IDAHO

October 25, 2008 - William Stevens, 22, Twin Falls School District substitute teacher and volunteer volleyball coach, was arrested on Friday for lewd conduct and sex abuse charges against a 15-year-old boy.

He was charged with two counts of sex abuse of a child under 16, four counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16, both felon-ies, and distribution of obscene material, a misdemeanor. The charges stemmed from a September outing during which Stevens and the boy performed sexual acts on each other.

The boy was not a student at the school. He cooperated with authorities. He called Stevens from the police department and asked while in the presence of police why they had had a sexual encounter, court papers show."I don't have a reason why - I just thought it might be fun or whatever. Be interesting," Stevens was quoted by police as saying in court records.

Stevens, apparently, knew the boy for years. As well as volunteering as an eighth grade volleyball coach at Vera C. O'Leary Junior High School, Stevens was also a substitute teacher for a day and a half after passing a background check.

An October 31 preliminary hearing is scheduled.
Full Name: William Arthur Stevens

Worcester, MASSACHUSETTS

An in-vehicle"counseling" arrest.

April 3, 2008 - Tyrone Forbes, 49, an elementary school music teacher at the Seven Hills Charter School and a pastor at the Mount Sinia Church of God in Christ, was arrested and charged with seven counts of statutory rape for a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy.

A police officer on routine patrol spotted a pickup truck parked in the closed Bennett Field parking lot on Main Street about 1:30 a.m. Thursday. He questioned why they were at the field in the early-morning hours. During the interview, it was determined that the boy was 15 years old and had allegedly been involved in a sexual relationship with Forbes since late last year.

Police said Forbes is an acquaintance of the teen’s family.

NOT GUILTY PLEA May 15 - Forbes pleaded not guilty to three counts of unnatural statutory rape of a child. Forbes was indicted April 25.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph J. Reilly III said at the time of Mr. Forbes’ April 3 arraignment in Central District Court that the suspect had acted as a “mentor” for the boy, who attended the same church. He said church members acquired information leading them to question Mr. Forbes’ relationship with the youth and the teenager was advised to have no further contact with the teacher.

The case has been continued to June 6.

GUILTY PLEA & SENTENCING October 24, 2008 - Forbes pleaded guilty today to child rape charges. He was sentenced (sorta) to two concurrent terms of 2 1/2 years in the House of Correction with 18 months to serve and the balance suspended for three years. The judge also placed Mr. Forbes on probation for three years and ordered him to register as a sex offender.

He must also enter into treatment and to submit to GPS monitoring, according to court records. The District Attorney's office had recommended he serve the entire 2 1/2 years.
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TT - The lowercase judge (one undeserving of the honorific capitalization of his title) was Judge Mary-Lou Rup who, apparently, thinks it's perfectly all right for a 49-year-old man to have sex with a 15-year-old boy. Her profile can be found here. Mary-Lou has been singled out before in this blog for her odd idea of justice. But that could be because the child pornographer was a teachers' union president.

Berkeley, CALIFORNIA

Evans was a teacher at Encinal High School in Alameda.
The judge wondered if six years was too light.

Dec 5, 2007 - Eugene Evans, 64, a former teacher and Sea Scout leader, was arrested and accused of molesting four boys during scouting excursions on his boat.

ARRAIGNED Dec 6 - Evans was arraigned on six felony counts of oral copulation with a minor, engaging in substantial sexual acts with a minor, penetration with a foreign object and showing or distributing lewd material to a minor.

Evans is accused of having sexual relations with four boys, ages 13 to 17, aboard the S.S.S. Farallon, the 85-foot ship used for the Sea Scouts program, over the last five years. Police said the investigation was launched on Nov. 14 when a boy and his parents came to Berkeley police with claims that Evans had molested the boy. The boy gave police the names of others he believed could be victims and three of those boys also claimed they were molested by Evans.

Evans taught at Alameda High School for about a decade and then moved to Encinal High where he taught for the remainder of his 31-year career. He taught social studies and retired in June 2004, she said
Full Name: Eugene Austin Evans

GUILTY PLEA Under a plea agreement, Evans pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation Monday. Numerous other counts of child molestation and showing of pornography to minors was dropped. He will also have to register as a sexual offender He is expected to spend six years in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 14.

SENTENCED September 16 - Evans was sentenced to six years in prison.

As Eugene Austin Evans, 65, of Kensington was led away in handcuffs from an Oakland courtroom, three rows of supporters stood in recognition, apparently refusing to accept his admission minutes earlier that he had been molesting boys on his boat, the SSS Farallon, for 30 years and warning them that "what happens on the boat stays on the boat."

Some of the support, apparently, caused the judge to react.

Judge Morris Jacobson asked Evans in Tuesday's hearing in Alameda County Superior Court if he was guilty of the charges against him, and Evans said, "Yes, your honor." The judge addressed Evans' supporters - many of them former members of the Berkeley Sea Scouts, clad in shirts emblazoned with "Farallon" - and said the evidence contradicted their belief in their mentor's innocence.

The judge said he was "struck by the tenor" of numerous letters written in support of Evans. The writers either excused Evans' behavior or denied it outright and accused prosecutors of disgracing the justice system by presenting a contrived case against him, Jacobson said.

Evans will be a registered sex offender.

NBC11 (September 16) East Bay Scout Leader Sentenced For Molesting Children

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson took the unusual step of having Evans admit his long history of sexual abuse on the record in an effort to convince Evans' many supporters that he in fact abused boys and wasn't framed.

There were 20 supporters in the courtroom.

Jacobson said, "I appreciate that Mr. Evans has done some very good things in his 30 years with the Sea Scouts but I noted with some concern about the letters from his supporters which seek to excuse or deny the allegations against him."
The judge said he was so concerned that he asked both Torrence and defense attorney Philip Schnayerson if the proposed six-year sentence for Evans was too light.

TT - These are the same people who would accept any and all charges against Catholic priests, but deny the victims of this man similar justice.

Roseville, CALIFORNIA

September 24, 2008 - A judge reduced bail for James Hirleman, 48, a seventh-grade teacher at George Buljan Middle School, from $350,000 to $250,000.

Hirleman was arrested last week and was booked on suspicion of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child, accused of carrying on a five- to six-year sexual relationship (from 1999 to 2005) that began when the boy was 13, according to the Placer County District Attorney's Office.

Rocklin police detectives made the arrest after investigating information provided from a previous arrest of another person in a local case, Police Lt. LonMilka said. The detectives pursued the case with the cooperation of Roseville police and the combined efforts of the Placer County Sheriff's Department, the Placer County District Attorney's Office and a county special investigation unit.

The criminal complaint alleges six counts of lewd acts upon a child, six counts of oral copulation of a person under the age of 16 and two counts of sodomy of a person under 18.Hirleman has pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of molestation.
Full Name: James Albert Hirleman

Craigmont, IDAHO

Washington state teacher arrested in Idaho.

April 16, 2008 - Timothy Kellis, 38, an A.G. West Black Hills High School band director, was arrested and charged in Latah County, Idaho, with one count of sexual abuse of a child, and two counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16 years of age, all felonies.

The incidents involved two boys and are alleged to have occurred while he was a counselor at a Boy Scout camp in the summer of 2007. The Idaho State police news release stated that :while a counselor at Camp Grizzly, located in Latah County, Idaho, Timothy Andrew Kellis fondled and engaged in lewd and lascivious contact with two minors under the age of 16."

EMPLOYMENT: Kellis worked as a teacher with Highland High School in Idaho from 2001 to 2006, and investigators said he worked at Camp Grizzly in Latah County during the summer of 2007, and may have worked as a counselor during prior years. Kellis is currently a teacher in Tumwater, Washington, where he has worked since 2006. He also is the teacher for one section of the band at Black Lake Elementary School.
Full Name: Timothy Andrew Kellis

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 24.

If anyone has any additional information concerning Kellis or any of his activities, they are asked to contact Idaho State Police Detective Bolon at (208) 799-5020.
______________________
TT - The location is usually given as the school where the abuse occurred. However, no allegations of misconduct are alleged in Washington state where he currently teaches.
______________________
April 19 - KLEWtv 3: Idaho State Police say there may be more charges against Kellis. Police say as many as four more boys may come forward.

INDICTED May 15 - A grand jury indicted Kellis with ten counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16 years of age and two counts of sexual abuse of a child May 12 in Moscow. The charges supercede the prior charges of lewd conduct and sexual abuse that were filed against Kellis in April. Kellis was arraigned and pleaded not guilty.

GUILTY VERDICT September 19 - A jury convicted Timothy Kellis on 12 felony counts involving four Boy Scouts molested at Camp Grizzly in northern Idaho. Kellis will be sentenced Nov. 12

Powell, WYOMING

Jan 31, 2008 - Lovell High School teacher Troy S. Pittman, 33, a history teacher and football coach at Powell High School in the 1990s, was bound over for trial after a judge found probable cause for two counts of indecent liberties with a child. A third count was dismissed.

Pittman is accused of providing alcohol and pornography to minor boys (ages 13 - 15) at a private residence and persuading them to engage in specific sexual activities while he watched, according to the affidavit. The incidents occurred more than a decade ago when Pittman was an assistant football coach at Powell High School, the affidavit states.Pittman most recently had been a history teacher and football coach at Lovell High School.

He no longer works at Lovell High School. The superintendent for Big Horn County School District 2 said state laws requiring confidentiality of personnel records prevented him from providing further information on the change in Pittman's employment status.

Jan 31 - Pittman was charged in Big Horn County on Oct. 22 on what is apparently a separate matter. [tt- It is unclear what the charges were and if they involved students at Lovell HIgh School.] Rumors of his arrest in Big Horn County prompted additional disclosures about incidents alleged to have taken place more than a decade ago Powell High School. [tt -The Big Horn County charge was dismissed as part of the plea agreement in Park County.]
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LEGAL NOTE (from article): Under a state law passed last year, all information about sex crimes cases is kept confidential until the matter advances to District Court.
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ARRAIGNMENT & NOT GUILTY PLEA April 5, 2008 - Pittman pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent liberties with a child. No trial date has been set.

GUILTY PLEA & SENTENCING September 7 - Pittman pleaded guilty in Park County to one count of taking indecent liberties with a minor. Pittman was sentenced to three to five years in prison -- with time suspended -- in favor of 5 years of supervised probation.

The boys in the case refused to cooperate with prosecutors which led to the plea agreement. District Court Judge John Brackley, however, was stern.

Brackley told Pittman that he would ordinarily be "treated more harshly" during sentencing, but he understood that the complications in prosecuting the case justified the plea agreement as recommended by prosecutors.

"It may seem pretty easy," Brackley told Pittman in describing the sentence."But believe me, there are people out there in the community that have taken a dim view of your conduct," he said, adding that Pittman should take his sentence seriously.

State law requires that Pittman register as a sex offender.

WASHINGTON

After pleading no contest in Washington state, charges against him in Alaska for molesting another child were dropped.

Feb 14, 2008 - Alex Mayo, 32, a teacher at Rilke Schule German charter school in Anchorage, was arrested for alleged sexual contact in 1999 with a 9-year-old boy in Snohomish County, Washington.

He moved to Anchorage in 2000 and began teaching there. He was suspended from the Anchorage school after he was indicted in Washington state last month.

After the Anchorage School District began its own internal investigation , they notified police of another possible victim. "As a result of that, one of those individuals talked to his children and found out that his child, he believed, had been molested." In both cases the victims' families were friends of Mayo.

School officials say he has worked at Muldoon Elementary School, North Star Elementary, and the Village Tribal Charter School. Police in Alaska have not filed charges.

Police and school officials asked that anyone who believes Mayo had inappropriate contact with their child call Stanton at 786-2668.

Sgt. Cindi Stanton, head head of the police crimes against children unit, said of the roughly 350 child sex abuse cases investigated by Anchorage police in a year, few of them end up with charges because the cases are often a child's word against an adult's, and often the instances occurred years prior and evidence has been lost.

TT - Which makes providing the police telephone number a little useless, doesn't it?

MSNBC - Mayo was allowed to continue teaching at the German middle school for two months after Anchorage police first contacted the district about the charges in Washington; however, school officials claim they did not know the nature of the charges until Dec. 12.
Trial is scheduled for March 28.

SENTENCED August 28 - Mayo pleaded the equivalent of no contest to a felony count of sexually molesting a child and was sentenced to 51 months in prison. As part of a plea agreement, Mayo's attorney got Alaskan authorities to drop the charges of molesting another boy in Alaska whose family Mayo knew if Mayo pleaded guilty in Washington.

Anchorage police Sgt. Cindi Stanton, supervisor of the crimes against children unit, said the case here concerned several incidents involving one child whose family Mayo knew. She hadn't heard about the deal until Wednesday.

"I wasn't thrilled, and of course, I'm not a district attorney and I don't work on all the dealings," Stanton said. "It's just frustrating because I think the guy should have got more time, but at least he will have this on his record."

TT - The agreement will spare both children from testifying. But there is no mention of sex registration when it is clearly, clearly called for. One article said, "Mayo agreed to stop teaching ." That's an indication that his teaching license was made part of the agreement, an indication that it was a bargaining factor.

Eidson, TENNESSEE

His computer and hard drives had 110 videos depicting child bondage and children engaged in sadomasochistic conduct. In all, the computers contained over 9,000 images of child pornography.

SENTENCED TO 26 YEARS and LIFETIME SUPERVISED RELEASE.

SEX CHARGES ARREST June 28, 2007 - Michael Noel, 36, a teacher and basketball coach at Clinch School, was arrested and charged in two separate incidents involving a 13-year-old male and a 15-year-old male.

Noel has been charged with aggravated sexual battery, sexual battery by an authority figure, solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor, and attempt to commit especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.

FIRED July 19 - Noel was dismissed by the Hawkins County Board of Education July 12. He has 30 days to request a hearing before the board.
Full Name: Michael Eugene Noel

FEDERAL INDICTMENT AND ARREST Feb 16, 2008 - Noel was indicted and arrested on federal child pornography charges. The three count indictment was handed down February 12 by a federal grand jury.

The first count of the federal indictment alleges Noel "did knowingly receive child pornography" from March 2006 until June 2007.

The second count, covering the same time frame, alleges he possessed a computer "containing an image of child pornography."

The third count of the federal indictment claims from June 20, 2007 until June 28, 2007 Noel "did corruptly obstruct and impede, or endeavor to influence, obstruct and impede" the criminal case "by damaging and attempting to destroy two CPU towers and computer accessories, all of which was evidence of crime, and by concealing other evidence of crime."

He is in federal custody pending an arraignment and detention hearing to be held February 19. Follow up: (from Apr 16 story) Noel waived his right to a detention hearing has been held in federal custody without bond since being indicted in February.

GUILTY PLEA April 16, 2008 - Noel pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and obstructing justice. The obstruction of justice charge comes from his attempt to destroy evidence.

Court records state after Noel agreed to meet [Detective] Adkins at his home to receive the arrest warrant, Noel removed from his home the two computers and two hard drives containing the child pornography images, disconnected the Internet cables for the computers, and stored the equipment with a friend who had no knowledge of the contents of the computers and hard drives.

Prosecutors say Noel also defaced one of the computers and attempted to disable or destroy it by hitting it with a hammer. Because of these actions, federal prosecutors charged him with obstruction of justice.

He still faces charges in Sullivan County for sexual battery, aggravated sexual battery, solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor, and attempted especially aggravated exploitation of a minor.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on the child pornography charges on Aug. 18.

SENTENCED August 18 - Noel was sentenced to 26 years in prison for having more than 9,000 images of child pornography on his computers. After serving his prison sentence, Noel must submit to supervised release for the rest of his life.

Read this excellent writeup that includes extensive quotes from the U.S. Attorney.

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

Santa Maria, CALIFORNIA

Sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Feb 10, 2007 - Michael Cardoza, 58, a Pioneer Valley High School teacher, was arrested June 2006. He has pleaded not guilty to felony forcible oral copulation, felony oral copulation of a person under 18 and misdemeanor sexual exploitation of a child.

Cardoza was sent to Marian Medical Center Oct 2 after he overdosed on prescription sleeping pills in an apparent suicide attempt.

PRELIMINARY At his preliminary hearing on Friday, the judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the three charges.

The prosecutor on the case, said there are seven John Does who were reportedly victimized by Cardoza through the years. They include students from Pioneer Valley, Santa Maria High School and Golden West High School in Visalia. The incident reported by the student from Visalia purportedly happened about 20 years ago.

The alleged victim in the current case visited Cardoza's house several times, and on one occasion, Cardoza showed him pornography on his computer, Goldman said.Cardoza then molested the boy and took nude photos of him, she said. The photo was found at Cardoza's house.
Scheduled to return to court Feb 22.

CONFERENCE May 4 - A readiness and settlement conference is scheduled for Aug 16. A trial date is scheduled for Oct. 22.

Cardoza, who is free on $200,000 bail, was placed on unpaid administrative leave by the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District pending the outcome of the charges against him. He has also taught at Santa Maria High School and Golden West High School in Visalia.

CONVICTED June 23, 2008 - A jury found Cardoza guilty on all seven counts he was charged with, including oral copulation with a minor both with and without force or duress. In addition to the oral-sex counts, Cardoza was convicted of documenting a sex act of a minor, molesting or annoying a child and development or duplication of an image of a child engaged in sexual conduct.

Cardoza is on unpaid leave from the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.

Jeff Hearn, superintendent for the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, said today that now that Cardoza has been convicted, he would be separated from the district. The district would consult with the state to determine how to go about terminating his status as a full-time employee.

TT - Reminder. He was arrested in June 2006.
He will be sentenced July 31.

SENTENCED August 5 - Cardoza was sentenced to 16 years in prison. The judge said that he did not find the testimony of Cardoza credible, but found the testimony of the victim and other witnesses believable. Cardoza will have to register as a sex offender if he ever leaves prison.

TT - See this distasteful news article from Kcoy12 on the sentencing that not only names the student but states that "despite the drama, the young man has still managed to graduate from high school, and two months early at that."

The boy was 16 at the time and had attempted suicide before the molestation. At at the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that Cardoza had similarly victimized a number of boys and young men, but he was charged only with the abuse of McDaniel.

Farley, IOWA

Feb 18, 2008 - Dale Soppe, a Western Dubuque School District teacher in the 1960s, will go on trial in July for indecent behavior with a child and enticing a child for immoral purpose. The case dates back to 1969.

The student is 51 years old now. He was 13 and a student in Iowa where Soppe was his teacher. After he moved to Wisconsin, Soppes visited the boy. That is where the sexual abuse for which Soppe is being charged happened. Soppe was 34 years old at the time. He is 72 now.

Wisconsin’s statute of limitations should have expired years ago. But it didn’t, and authorities say Soppe’s Iowa residency is the reason. When a suspect leaves Wisconsin the statute of limitations pauses. That stopped clock allowed prosecutors to file charges in 2006.

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TT - The sexual abuse began in Iowa, but the statue of limitations prevented prosecution in that state.

Former teacher charged with molesting boy in Wisconsin (dated May 11, 2006)
Soppe, who wrote two books and later left teaching to become a therapist, studied for the priesthood for several years, according to biographical information in one of his books.

Former Area Teacher Will Go to Trial for Sexually Abusing Boy (dated Feb 19 2008)
Soppe also taught at Xavier High School in Dyersville.

Reminder: The location is the school or school district. Dates are publication dates. Soppes will be prosecuted in Wisconsin. He taught in Iowa. When and why he left teaching is a good question.

SENTENCED (sorta) July 17 - Soppe was found guilty of fourth-degree sexual assault, and a second count was dismissed in Barron County, Wis. A judge sentenced him to 60 days in jail - not prison - a $1,000 fine and required Soppe to register as a sex offender and undergo sex-offender evaluation and follow-up treatment.

TT - Sixty days in jail. At least he will have to register as a sex offender.

Mirimar, FLORIDA

Sentenced to 43 years in prison, but is out on bond while he appeals.

Mar 1, 2007 - Aaron Mohanlal, 39, an art teacher at New Renaissance Middle School, is on trial for sexual abuse of a boy that began when the victim was 12-years-old.

Prosecutors allege the sexual abuse went on for over a year. When the boy wished to break off ther elationship, Mohanlal created embarrassing fliers.

Update Apr 5 - Mohanlal was convicted in a jury trial of 13 felony counts, ranging from lewd or lascivious molestation to child abuse.

Sentencing will be Jun 14.

Last month -- after the fourth district employee this year was arrested and accused of sexual misconduct -- Broward school officials said they must scrutinize the district's hiring practices. They said they might add psychological or behavioral screenings.

SENTENCED (maybe) July 23, 2008 - Mohanlal was sentenced in June to 43 years in prison, but has yet to serve a day in jail. A judge ordered him released on post-conviction bond while his case is on appeal. The judge ordered Mohanlal to wear a GPS device, register as a sex offender and surrender his passport. CNN says the bond is unusual.

Post-conviction bonds are rarely given in criminal trials, but judges occasionally grant them if there was a procedural error during trial that would make a conviction reversal at the appellate level likely, legal experts say.

But there were no procedural mistakes during Mohanlal's trial, both prosecutor Anita White and defense attorney Steve Rossi said.

Under Florida statute, defendants without prior felonies are eligible for post-conviction bond unless they have committed first-degree murder or sexual battery. Mohanlal wasn't convicted of first-degree sexual battery. He was convicted of second- and third-degree felonies, and he had no prior felony record.

Other students in Mohanlal's class testified that their teacher handed them fliers, with the boy's picture and phone number, that falsely accused the teen of having sex with animals. Caught on surveillance camera at a grocery store copying the fliers, prosecutors say Mohanlal had become a disturbed lover scorned when the boy entered high school and began rejecting his advances.

Last year, the boy's family won $300,000 from the school district after a civil claim that the district failed to protect the student.

IN JAIL - August 1 - A judge initially agreed to allow Mohanlal to post a $610,00 bond because he did not have any prior convictions and appeared to meet the conditions of his bond, which included securing almost half a million dollars in property.

But the state discovered that the defendant never met the conditions of his bond and there was not enough equity in those properties, meaning Mohanlal is a flight risk. The judge revoked his bond.

Ocala, FLORIDA

Sentenced to life in prison and designated a sexual predator.

July 8, 2008 - David A. Lamont, 61, was sentenced to a mandatory life prison term for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy. He was also given 30 years in prison for lewd and lascivious molestation of the same child, a sentence that will run concurrently to the first count. Lamont was also designated a sexual predator.

A jury in May found Lamont guilty of one count of sexual battery on a person younger than 12.

Lamont was a former Marion County Public Schools employee who worked as a teacher's aide at Hillcrest School for three years beginning in 1993 and at Lake Weir High School as a substitute teacher in 1987. The offenses occurred between 2004 and December 2006 when two brothers were left in his care. Lamont was charged in December 2006.
Photo: Marion County Sheriff's Office

Kennewick, WASHINGTON

He victimized so many over 27 years, he said, "It's a shame that there are so many that I don't remember what each happened."

At sentencing: " I don’t want to die in prison."

Oct 22, 2007 - William Pickerel, 72, a Kennewick High School substitute teacher who worked in the Kennewick schools for over 40 years, was arrested, accused of two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor for sex with a 16 - 17 year-old student.

Pickerel retired in 1998 and worked as a substitute. The prosecutor's office has not pressed any formal charges yet.

Oct 23 - The student was male. Police are encouraging anyone with information to come forward.Call Crime Stoppers at 509-586-8477 or the Kennewick Police Department with any information.

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES Oct 24 - Police investigations continue. From the TriCity Herald:

William Bart Pickerel, who was arrested in Kennewick for allegedly having sex with a male student, is a suspect in similar cases with multiple potential victims on the other side of the state, said Seattle Officer Mark Jamieson, a department spokesman.

"Basically, Seattle is doing our investigation, and I understand that Kennewick Police Department is too, that there are some charges (Pickerel) is facing over there," Jamieson said. "But there are some separate charges that occurred here in the city of Seattle, so that is why we are involved."

FORMALLY CHARGED Oct 24 - Prosecutors formally charged him with two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor in the first degree. Pickerel pleaded not guilty.

LETTER TO PARENTS Oct 25 - The school district sent a letter home to parents. [TT - very informative letter.]

New state laws have made it easier for public agencies to share information about former employees with each other. By state law, all school district employees must go through the fingerprinting process when hired. As well, every candidate has to provide a sexual misconduct disclosure form from previous employers (if those employers were school districts or other public agencies who deal with children) indicating whether any sexual misconduct materials have been found in the previous district. Potential volunteers must go through an electronic background check and may or may not be allowed to volunteer pending the results.

AND,

It is critical that any student with any kind of concern for themselves, or others, feels comfortable talking to a trusted adult about the situation. We work to foster a culture of trust, so that students will feel safe talking to adults at school. Our schools participate in “Choose to Trust,” a program of the Kennewick Police Department that raises awareness and helps students understand that talking to an adult is not “tattling.” Parents can help by reinforcing this message with their children.

ARRESTED (AGAIN) Nov 30 - Police arrested Pickerel again on Friday after a series of new charges were filed in King County. He is charged with two counts of Sexual Misconduct with a Minor in the first degree, one in the second degree and two more counts of Child Molestation.

Dec 2 - Report issued on trips Pickerel took with students.

According to a 14-page report by King County prosecutors, Pickerel took at least 20 trips per year with Kennewick High School students, mostly to watch professional sports games. On at least half of those trips, Pickerel was looking to take advantage of the boys, the report said. "

When I was in school, no one really talked about that," said Pickerel's neighbor and former Kennewick High School student Kyle Bricker.

In the report, Pickerel admits he "victimized numerous boys over the course of 27 years." All were between the ages of 15 and 17 at the time of the alleged assaults.

Detectives said Pickerel had difficulty remembering dates and details of the incidents for many of the occasions. In Pickerel's own words, he admitted "it's a shame that there are so many that I don't remember what each happened."

Investigators believe Pickerel may have started abusing victims as early as 1992.

The documents also report the alleged victims' reluctance to come forward. In the report, one boy told the officer "he feared that people would think he was damaged." That same teen also said Pickerel "was the nicest guy in the world. No one wants to be the first to say anything." See Video report.

NOT GUILTY PLEA Dec 13 - Pickerel pleaded not guilty in King County court. He earlier pleaded not guilty in Benton County to charges alleging he had sex with a teenage boy in Kennewick three years ago and inappropriately touched another teen in November 2004 on another Seattle trip.

COURT DATE Dec 20 - Pickerel's next court appearance will be December 27th. That's when a trial date will be set.

COURT DATE? April 17, 2008 - Pickerel is still waiting for a trial date in King County and Benton County. He was scheduled to appear in King County Superior Court on Thursday. He also had a hearing in Benton County on Wednesday. A spokesman with the prosecutor's office says Pickerel's next court appearance in Seattle isn't known yet. Benton County is waiting until a trial in Seattle is over.

GUILTY PLEA May 9 - Pickerel pleaded guilty to two counts each of third-degree child molestation and first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor, all felony charges. He also pleaded to a gross misdemeanor charge of second-degree sexual misconduct with a minor.

Pickerel is also charged in Benton County Superior Court with one count each of first- and second-degree sexual misconduct with a minor. Deputy Prosecutor Adrienne Farabee said the agreement was that she would drop the Benton County charges once Pickerel pleaded in King County. However, she said she will wait until the Seattle case is wrapped up with sentencing.

SENTENCED June 20 - Pickerel wiped away tears throughout the hearing in King County Superior Court where a judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

“I’m guilty, there is no doubt about that, and I’ve never said anything other than that,” Pickerel said, choking up so his voice was nearly inaudible. “… I am asking for mercy. I don’t want to die in prison.”

Judge Charles W. Mertel noted the defendant’s age and poor health and said he realized Pickerel’s five supporters in court may find the exceptional sentence “harsh and unjustified. I just ask you to consider, like I had to consider, the young people and families that are victims of this crime."

A court hearing on the Benton County charges is schedule for next Wednesday.

BENTON CHARGES June 26 - A hearing to dismiss the Benton charges has been delayed two weeks. Prosecutors plan to drop their case against William B. Pickerel, but said Wednesday that the matter is on hold until a King County Court fixes errors on sentencing documents No explanation.

Melbourne, ARKANSAS

Sex charges with 22 (Not a typo.) students.

TRIAL SCHEDULED June 19, 2008 - Brock M. Felton, 32, charged with 28 counts of sex-related charges involving 22 students, is scheduled for trial October 21 or 24, with a pre-trial hearing scheduled October 2. He was middle school and high school band and choir director at the Izard County Consolidated School District.

ARRESTED Felton was arrested May 1 and charged with eight counts of sexual indecency with a child, seven counts of sexual indecency with a child under a different statute, nine counts of sexual assault in the second-degree and four counts of voyeurism.

Felton told an Arkansas State Police investigator some male students crossed the line by exposing themselves to him five or six times, but he did not want to get the students in trouble by sending them to the office, according to court documents. He said some of the male students tried to get him to expose himself, but he did not do so. He also said one of the victims may have been mad because he suspended him from band after inappropriate activity. Later in the interview, Felton said three weeks earlier he watched pornography and exposed himself to one of the victims, according to court documents.

SCHOOL NOTIFIED The next day, police met with the superintendent, who heard the allegations April 15 and looked into the matter, according to court documents. Walker told Felton he needed to "do the right thing" or he would suspend Felton and recommend to the school board he should be fired, according to court documents.

May 2 - Former teacher charges :
- Felton is the second Izard County Consolidated band teacher that has been arrested. In August 2007, Stacy Lynn Tucker, 39, was indicted by a grand jury in Little Rock on one count of child pornography. He was caught in an Internet sting when he thought he was talking to a 14-year-old girl. [New entry started for Tucker]

- April 16 - Felton investigation began after the Izard County Sheriff's Office was contacted by Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Investigator Jannette Cooper.
- During the police interview with Felton, Felton said he resigned from the school because he was told by Superintendent Fred Walker that he could resign or be terminated.
- He also said that his wife and a foreign exchange student were home at the time, but had no knowledge that he was watching porn with students or engaging in sexual acts with them.
- April 17 - Superintendent met with Felton and asked for resignation or he would recommend termination.

ALLEGATIONS AND VICTIMS (continued here)
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Izard county is located in north central Arkansas and nestled in the southern Ozarks, is home to some 14,000 people. - From Izard County Sheriff's Department website.

Hardeeville, SOUTH CAROLINA

June 13, 2008 - Eric Parker, 25, a Hardeeville High School teacher, was arrested yesterday and charged with committing a lewd act on a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor - a 15 -year-old boy he met on MySpace.

Parker picked the boy up and took him shopping for clothes in Savannah. Later, the two checked into a motel in Beaufort where sexual activity took place.
Full Name: Eric Lamar Parker
-------------------- RESEARCH --------------------
The school has not been rated at GreatSchools.net because of insufficient testing data. The school is in the Jasper County School District that is rated a 2 (with 10 being highest) based on their testing. The school board minutes are online which is always a plus. (School at right from district website.)

South Carolina has an Education Oversight Committee ("Reporting facts. Measuring change. Promoting progess." ) where you can find a report card on schools or districts in the state. Hardeeville Junior/Senior High School is not listed. The Jasper School District is shown as Unsatisfactory in both Absolute Rating and Improvement Rating. The full report is in PDF format.

Interesting to note in the full report is that 95% of parents attend conferences. In the NCLB section, there is this: Classes in high poverty schools not taught by highly qualified teachers statewide is 9%. This district is 43.9%.

One of the major goals of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is to have highly qualified teachers in every classroom. From the U.S. Dept. of Education: A highly qualified teacher only has three criteria:
1) attaining a bachelor's degree or better in the subject taught;
2) obtaining full state teacher certification; and
3) demonstrating knowledge in the subjects taught.

South Carolina definition of highly qualified teachers here.
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June 13 - WSAV did their homework .

We did some background research on what it takes to be considered as a substitute teacher in Jasper County, SC where Eric Lamar Parker worked.

We called the Jasper County School District and were told that to be considered for a sub job, you need a High School diploma and a tuberculosis skin test, and you have to pass a background check.

After looking through the substitute teacher application, we found that it asks for 3 references and proof of highest level of education (High School diploma, college diploma, etc.).

Other questions include:
Have you ever held a teaching certificate?
Have you ever substituted in our schools before?
Have you ever been employed as a regular teacher or a paraprofessional?
What experience do you have working with children and/or adolescents?Why do you want to substitute?
On what level do you want to sub?

WTOC11: (Jun 13) Low Country substitute teacher arrested
Parker's bond has been set at $100,000. Sanford says they'll be sending Parker a letter suspending him until after his court case is settled.

Winston-Salem, NORTH CAROLINA

"People do do things wrong," he said.

ARRESTED May 16, 2007 - Police arrested Hubert Crosby, 46, a substitute teacher at at Reynolds and Mount Tabor high schools, and charged him with having illegal sexual contact with two male students.

Crosby was charged with four counts of taking indecent liberties with a student, three counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor, three counts of sexual offense with a student, and one count of promoting the prostitution of a minor.

The investigation began when a boy complained about comments Crosby made. The initial investigation showed sexual contact between a boy and Crosby that started when the boy was 15 and lasted four years. Crosby is also accused of paying money to commit a sexual act with a minor. Bond is set at $1 million.

In addition to working as a substitute teacher, Crosby coached basketball in an AAU league.

Full Name: Hubert Eugene Crosby

TT - "People who have completed 64 hours of college or two years of junior college can work as substitutes, and people with a high-school degree can be substitutes in emergency situations if a principal vouches for them."

The newspaper doesn't provide it, but if you have information, contact Police at (336) 773-7700.

Update May 17 - Fox8: The investigation began when another student at Reynolds High School told a teacher he has been offered money for sex. Next court date is June 8.

NEW TWIST May 20 - In a new twist, police learned that they were not notified that Crosby had been removed from the substitute roster in response to allegations of sexual misconduct until almost three weeks later when a second boy's family contacted police.

Delayed reporting. The district removed Crosby Apr 3, but Winston-Salem Police were not aware of the allegation until April 23. A Forsyth County Sheriff's Deputy school resource officer at the school investigating Crosby stopped his work after learning that the allegation didn’t take place at the school.

The deputy then suggested that the family contact Winston-Salem police, which police said didn’t happen. The County Sheriff's office didn't notify Winston-Salem Police either.

NEW CHARGES July 21 - Police filed two new charges of taking indecent liberties with a third student - a 15-year-old boy. Cosby is being held on $1.5 million bond.

GUILTY PLEA May 20, 2008 - Crosby pleaded guilty to three counts of sex offense with a student, five counts of indecent liberties with a child and eight counts of indecent liberties with a student. He was sentenced to seven to nine years in prison.

He will be on five years of probation after release, and, after that, 10 years of wearing a monitoring bracelet that allows him to be tracked by satellite.

Clarksville, MARYLAND

Sentenced to four years in prison and two trials to go.

Jan 12, 2007 - Alan Beier, 52, a teacher at River Hill High School, was arrested and charged with sex offenses and sexual child abuse involving two students.

He invited a of a 16-year-old male to help him set up camera equipment at the school after hours, then talked student into disrobing for photographs. The student contacted police. Police found the photographs that matched the photos the student had described in a search of Beier's home.

During the investigation, police said, detectives learned that a 17-year-old female student had reported that Beier twice had sexual contact with her.
Full name: Alan Meade Beier

The Baltimore Sun reports that Brier is the second Howard County teacher arrested just this week. Joseph Ellis was arrested on numerous sex offenses. [Our entry for Ellis.]

Jan 13 - Beier, who was chosen River Hill's 2001 Teacher of the Year by the senior class, has been placed on administrative leave by the school system.

INDICTED Feb 9 - Brier was indicted by the grand jury on sexual misconduct charges involving a third student. Both Brier and Ellis remain on paid leave.

TRIAL DATE SCHEDULED Mar 5 - A trial date has been set for of Jul 23. He is still on paid administrative leave.

FIRING RECOMMENDED May 3 - The school superintendent has recommended firing Beier as well as Kirsten Kinley. TT link. They fired Joseph Samuel Ellis. His trial is scheduled for July 23.

PHOTOGRAPHS ADMISSABLE May 31 - A judge ruled that photographs of the boy that confirm his story would be admissable as evidence in the trial. The judge also ruled against a motion to dismiss charges. The jury trial is still expected to begin July 23.

TRIAL SUSPENDED July 12 - On June 25, a judge suspended Brier's trial while Brier's attorney files an appeal in the Court of Special Appeals to supress evidence police seized from his house at the time of his arrest.

MOTIONS HEARING August 26 - Beier will have a motions hearing November 9. Beier has appealed a recommendation by county Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin that the school board terminate his employment.

TRIAL SCHEDULED Jan 16 - Found in a story about Kirsten Kinley's lawyer's attempt to get her released. Beier is scheduled to go to trial on March 26 .

PORNOGRAPHY INADMISSIBLE March 21 - Circuit Court Judge Diane O. Leasure ruled that showing the "legal" pornography to a jury would be too prejudicial and could not be included as evidence at Beier's trial, which is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

The prosecution had argued that pornographic photographs found in Beier's home included adults in poses similar to those in the photos of the 16-year-old boy that were found on Beier's school computer, showing that Beier's intent in taking the photos was for nothing more than his own benefit.

GUILTY VERDICT March 28 - A Howard County judge Friday found Alan Beier guilty of second-degree assault and sexual abuse of a minor. Brier will be sentenced June 9.

Beier, who also is charged with fondling a 17-year-old female student on two occasions and with sexual misconduct with another male student. Both trials are scheduled for August.

NEW TRIAL DENIED June 6 - Circuit Judge Diane Leasure denied the request for a new trial based on the claim that his actions did not make up sexual exploitation. She is considering whether to permit Beier's request for a court hearing to challenge the affidavit police used to get a search warrant. She will rule on Monday when Brier is due to be sentenced.

SENTENCED June 9 - Brier was sentenced to to four years ** in prison. Beier could have faced 35 years in prison for the two convictions. TWO OTHER TRIALS are scheduled for August.

** June 10 story clarifed the sentence. Brier was sentenced to 10 years in prison with all but four suspended on the sex abuse conviction and five years with all but two suspended, to be served concurrently with the first sentence, on the assault conviction. She also sentenced Beier to five years of probation after his release and ordered that he must register as a child sex offender.

NO RELEASE September 4 - Brier will remain in prison while he appeals his conviction. He claimed news coverage caused some inmates at the Baltimore City Correctional Center to beat him last month. He was treated at a local hospital for a broken nose and facial cuts.

Judge Diane Leisure refused to release Beier on bail or home detention while he appeals his conviction. The violence described was "deplorable," she said, but the correctional facility, not the judge, should be responsible for the welfare of the inmates.

"Jail is probably not a place anybody wants to spend a lot of time," the judge said.

Chicago, ILLINOIS

Sentenced to life for sexually abusing five boys.
Under Illinois law, any person convicted of more than one count of predatory criminal sexual assault faces a mandatory life sentence.

June 4, 2008 - Alonso Bracey, 38, a Barton Elementary School basketball coach and custodian convicted earlier this year of sexually abusing five boys, was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison.

The judge expressed a tinge of regret at having to inflict the heavy sentence on Alonso Bracey, 38, saying that in his nearly 20 years as a judge he had never sentenced someone to life in prison for a sex crime.

A jury convicted Bracey in February of sexually assaulting three boys and sexually abusing two others. Under Illinois law, any person convicted of more than one count of predatory criminal sexual assault faces a mandatory life sentence.

At the time, all the children were between the ages of 11 and 13 and were members of the basketball team he coached.

Wenatchee, WASHINGTON

The judge acknowledged the letters and statements but made clear his bottom line:
"The court does not sentence a person for who they are or what they believe but rather because of what they did. This is indeed unfortunate Mr. Mora finds himself here."

March 19, 2008 - Nestor Mora, 30, a teacher's aide at Pioneer Middle School, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. Mora is accused of raping a 14-year-old boy he met at the middle school and contacted through MySpace.

Wenatchee police arrested Mora on March 6 on suspicion of kissing, fondling and performing oral sex on a 14-year-old boy in January. On March 12 he was charged last week with third-degree rape of a child, third-degree child molestation and possessing child pornography. Police suspect Mora, a classroom aide for four years, of getting to know the boy through the social-networking Web site MySpace. He is accused of performing oral sex on the boy.

Mora worked at three elementary schools since 2003. ***
Full Name: Nestor Eloy Mora

March 19 - "Mora's interaction with students a concern before arrest"
At least three teachers and one administrator at Pioneer Middle School expressed concerns about Nestor Mora's relationships with students in February. At that time the school principal wrote a "letter of direction" to Mora. The letter gave specific directions for Mora to change his behavior or else disciplinary action could be taken.

Mora is on paid administrative leave.

FIRING RECOMMENDED March 29 - A Wenatchee School District administrator is recommending the School Board fire Mora. The superintendent of human resources, Steven Cole, said the content in Mora's taped interview with police warrants his immediate firing. Mora was notified in a letter.

** The three schools are Lewis and Clark Elementary School from February to June 2004 and at Washington Elementary School from February 2004 until February 2006. And Pioneer Middle School from October 2003 to February 2004, and again from February 2006 until his arrest.

BOND REDUCED April 8 - A judge reduced Mora's bail bond from $250,000 to $100,000. His trial is scheduled for May 6.

POSSIBLE PLEA CHANGE April 16 - Mora was scheduled to appear in court this afternoon. The schedule for today's Superior Court appearances that came out this morning lists Mora with the subject line "Change of plea."

Weeks before Mora's arrest, Pioneer Middle School Principal Mark Helm wrote in a letter to staff that three students had told them Mora communicated with them on MySpace. A "letter of direction" from Helm to Mora ordered him to not contact students through MySpace.

GUILTY PLEA April 17 - Mora pleaded guilty to third-degree child molestation, third-degree rape of a child and luring. Prosecutors recommended a 20-month sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for June 4. The deputy prosecutor said he met with the parents of the victim and they support the deal.

In part because federal authorities are investigating, the state dismissed a charge of possessing depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. "This is not going away for Mr. Mora," [prosecutor Roy] Fore said. "The feds have advised me they're taking the case."

SENTENCED June 4 - Mora was sentenced to 17 months in prison.

TRIAL SCHEDULED August 21 - A trial on child pornography possession charges was scheduled for Monday. However, Mora's lawyer wanted more time to review the evidence. The trial has been rescheduled to begin Sept. 8.

The lawyer also said discovery information provided by the government on July 22 "was particularly significant as an alleged victim was identified that could lead to additional charges."