Lawyer Harvin Pitch who represents all six men in this new round of sex abuse claims surfacing in the decade-old scandal
John Paul Roby, a former Gardens usher who is alleged to have sexually abused several Toronto men.
The Rev David Smith was jailed for five-and-a-half years for sexually abusing boys.
Church 'acts to protect children'
The Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt Rev Peter Price has detailed the steps the church is taking to protect children from sex offenders. The statement come after the Rev David Smith, 52, of St John's Road, Clevedon, was jailed on Thursday for sexually abusing six boys over a 30-year period.
Bishop Price said the church had apologised to his victims and families.
"Now priests and ministers are subject to criminal records checks and have to make child protection declarations."
Bishop Peter Price added: "We are very sorry that these offences were committed by a man in a position of trust.
TV appearance
"Every parish has a child protection officer and all our policies and practices are overseen by a child protection group which includes senior police officers," he said.
The Churches Child Protection Advisory Service had asked whether the Diocese of Bath and Wells were aware of concerns over Smith when he was appointed to St John's Church in 1993, and why he was permitted to continue to work after a complaint was made in 2001 to the former bishop, the late Jim Thompson.
"When Smith came to us from Gloucester Diocese there was nothing on his file to indicate there were any concerns about him. No complaint about sex abuse had been made to police during his time there," said Bishop Peter Price.
| | We did everything we could at the time The Rt Rev Peter Price |
The complaint was made in 2001 after Smith appeared on television following the 9/11 tragedy in which he lost a cousin.
The man concerned made an allegation about abuse which happened in a boarding school in 1976-77 when Smith was teaching before he went for training for the ministry.
"That man met Bishop Jim but made no formal complaint to the police and did not press charges. Bishop Jim informed the police of the allegation. "
But Smith vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
However, he accepted a protocol in which he agreed not to be alone with children, not to have children in his house and to be regularly reviewed by the then Bishop of Taunton, the late Andrew Radford.
"We did everything we could at the time and without a formal complaint to police there were no grounds to remove him from his post.
"When another complaint was made in 2005 we again immediately informed the police, the boy involved did make a formal complaint so we were able to suspend Smith from his position while there was an investigation which led to the court case and his subsequent conviction," said Bishop Price.
A Church of England spokesman said: "Today, when a new bishop comes into post, they review past and current cases on file with their child protection advisers. If they identify a risk to children they will take action.
"As with any such tragic case, we will be reviewing the details, and seeing what further lessons can be drawn from it to help inform the continuing development of diocesan and national policies on child protection."
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The Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt Rev Peter Price has detailed the steps the church is taking to protect children from sex offenders.
The statement come after the Rev David Smith, 52, of St John's Road, Clevedon, was jailed on Thursday for sexually abusing six boys over a 30-year period.
World: Europe
Anglican bishop sorry, priest jailed for sex abuse
Attacks perpetuated by Anglican priest happened between 1976 and 2005 and involved six boys under the age of 16
Sunday, May 06, 2007
By Ekklesia
The Anglican Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt Rev Peter Price, has made an unequivocal apology for the failure of the church to follow its own guidelines on sexual abuse following the conviction of a Somerset priest for repeated offences against children.
The Rev David Smith Clevedon was jailed for five-and-a-half years yesterday after a unanimous verdict at Bristol Crown Court that he sexually abused six boys over a 30-year period.
Mr Smith, aged 52, vicar of St John the Evangelist, North Somerset, had denied all 12 charges. The two week trial heard that two complainants expressed their concerns to the church, first in 1983 and again in 2001. But the matter was "dealt with" as an internal concern, and Smith continued to abuse boys because he was not reported to the police.
The Church of England’s clear policy is to report potential sex abuse to the authorities. It is backed up by advisers, information and training. The call for a proper investigation is bound to be renewed following a similar verdict involving negligence against ex-choirmaster Peter Halliday, aged 61, earlier this week.
The attacks perpetuated by Smith happened between 1976 and 2005 and involved six boys under the age of 16. Sentencing him the judge said: "You were a father figure and a mentor to these boys. One felt largely humiliated by the experience, you added to their distress."
In a statement made in writing and on TV by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, Peter Price, the church declared: "The Reverend David Smith has been found guilty of a number of very serious charges. We are shocked and horrified that he has fallen so far short of the very high standards expected of priests in the Church of England."
He continued: "We apologise sincerely to David Smith's victims, their families, the parish and all involved in this case. We're very sorry that these offences were committed by a man in a position of trust. We have taken all necessary steps to do all in our power to ensure there is no repetition of this situation."
Church of England insiders do not believe the church faces charges of the kind of systemic abuse by priest that has wracked the Roman Catholic Church, but it is acknowledging that there is no room for complacency.
Available statistical evidence suggests a similar level of offending within the church as in other sectors of society.
An expert said: “The good news about this is that it undermines charges that religious institutions are uniquely or disproportionately culpable in this area. But that does not mean that there isn’t a clear religious dimension in church cases. And the bad news is that it suggests that churches are failing in their vocation to be distinctive moral communities. There is much to be done.”
Source: Ekklesia
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Maple Leafs owners to face new round of sex-abuse claims TheStar.com - News - Maple Leafs owners to face new round of sex-abuse claims
Man seeks $4M for alleged molesting by usher in '70s; lawyer says 5 more on way
May 05, 2007
Dale Brazao
Staff Reporter
A Toronto man has filed a $4 million dollar lawsuit against the Toronto Maple Leafs' parent company alleging he was the victim of repeated sexual abuse at the hands of former Gardens usher John Paul Roby.
And five more alleged victims will soon file statements of claim against Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, said lawyer Harvin Pitch who represents all six men in this new round of sex-abuse claims arising from the decade-old scandal.
In the latest claim, filed yesterday with the Ontario Superior Court, the victim alleges his abuse started when he was 9 years old and continued for five years. The sex attacks took place at Maple Leaf Gardens as well as Roby's home, the lawsuit states.
Roby was convicted in 1999 of multiple counts of criminal assault involving the sexual abuse of young boys at the Gardens. He was declared a dangerous offender in 2000, and died of a heart attack in prison the following year.
The victim, now 43, who grew up in Cabbagetown in the shadow of the iconic Gardens, claims he was lured into the arena by handyman Gordon Stuckless, equipment manager George Hanna and Roby.
Stuckless pleaded guilty in 1997 to 24 counts of sexual and indecent assault and was sentenced to 2 years less a day. His sentence was later increased to five years. He was paroled in February 2001 after serving two-thirds of the sentence.
Hanna died in 1984.
As a result of Roby's attacks, the victim has suffered loss of self-esteem, sexual trauma, and a lifelong struggle with depression, according to the documents, which contain allegations not yet proven in court.
The fear of embarrassment kept him a prisoner to his shame, the lawsuit states. "At the time of his abuse (the victim) feared punishment from his parents and estrangement from his friends and siblings."
The other five men who are about to file their lawsuits will name Stuckless, Roby and Hanna as their abusers in their statements of claim, Pitch said.
"For 35 years they've lived with this deep, dark secret," Pitch said. "It's amazing how this cancer survived – that there are all these people out there who are living damaged, flawed lives guarding this deep dark secret."
In March two other men launched lawsuits against MLSE. Michael Valenci, of Mississauga, is seeking $2.3 million in damages, alleging that Stuckless abused him repeatedly in 1972 when he was 11 years old.
In another case, Carey Durant, 40, of Marmora, Ont., is suing MLSE for $1.45 million alleging Stuckless abused him over six months in 1978.
The new round of lawsuits against the Gardens comes 10 years after Martin Kruze blew the lid off the hockey shrine with allegations that a pedophile ring was working inside and he was one of the victims.
Kruze testified at Stuckless's trial that he was among the dozens of young hockey fans lured into the Gardens with free tickets, hockey sticks and player autographs, only to be sexually abused.
Despondent over the original sentence handed to Stuckless, a tormented Kruze committed suicide by jumping from the Bloor Viaduct a few days later.
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toronto.ctv.ca
Updated: Sat. May. 5 2007 6:58 PM ET
A Toronto man has filed a $4 million lawsuit against the Toronto Maple Leafs' parent company alleging he was repeatedly sexually abused by former Gardens usher John Paul Roby.
Five more alleged victims will also file statements of claim against Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment soon, says lawyer Harvin Pitch. Pitch represents all six men in this new round of sex abuse claims surfacing in the decade-old scandal.
In the latest claim, filed Friday, the man alleges the abuse began when he was nine years old and continued until he was 14.
The sexual assaults took place at Maple Leaf Gardens and at Roby's home, the lawsuit states.
The victim, now 43, grew up in Cabbagetown near the Gardens, the Toronto Star reports. The man claims he was lured into the arena by handyman Gordon Stuckless, equipment manager George Hanna and Roby.
Roby was convicted in 1999 of multiple counts of assault involving the sexual abuse of young boys at the Gardens. He was declared a dangerous offender in 2000 and died of a heart attack in prison the following year.
Stuckless pleaded guilty in 1997 to 24 counts of sexual and indecent assault. He was sentenced to five years in prison, and was paroled in February 2001 after serving two-thirds of his sentence.
Hanna died in 1984.
As a result of Roby's attacks, the victim has suffered loss of self-esteem, sexual trauma and a lifelong struggle with depression, according to the court documents.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
The lawsuit states the victim didn't come forward earlier because he feared embarrassment and punishment from his parents and estrangement from his friends and siblings.
The other five men who will soon be filing their lawsuits will name Stuckless, Roby and Hanna as their abusers, Pitch told the Star.
"Unbelievable horrors that they've kept inside them for over 35 years," Pitch told CTV's Chris Eby.
"Money is not the issue, it's closure that's the issue."
Two other men launched lawsuits against MLSE in March alleging sexual abuse at the hands of Stuckless during the 1970s when they were children.
The new round of lawsuits against the Gardens comes 10 years after victim Martin Kruze blew the whistle on the pedophile ring at the arena.
Kruze testified at Stuckless' trial that he was among the dozens of young hockey fans lured into the Gardens with free tickets and hockey memorabilia, only to be sexually abused.
Dejected over the original jail sentence of two years in jail handed to Stuckless, Kruze committed suicide a few days later.
With a report from CTV's Chris Eby
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A parish priest was jailed for five and a half years yesterday after being found guilty of sexually abusing a string of boys over nearly 30 years.
David Smith, 52, of St John's Road, Clevedon, Somerset, took advantage of his trusted position to groom and molest six youngsters.
He indecently assaulted some of his young victims during sleepovers at the vicarage. He took them away on holidays to the seaside.
The two-week trial at Bristol Crown Court heard that concerns had been raised with the Church of England on two occasions about the vicar, first in 1983 and again in 2001. Despite reassurance given to two complainants that the matter had been "dealt with", Smith continued to abuse boys in his parish.
Smith, the vicar of St John the Evangelist in Clevedon, had denied all 12 charges against him, claiming they were a "figment of someone's imagination".
A jury found him guilty of 10 charges of indecent assault, one sexual assault on a child under 13, and one of sexual activity with a child under 16.
The attacks happened between 1996 and 2005. All involved boys under 16. Two counts of indecency were withdrawn during the trial on legal technicalities.
Sentencing Smith, Judge Michael Longman said he had clearly taken advantage of his position to sexually abuse young and sometimes troubled young boys, all of whom looked up to him as a priest and a friend.
"The trust placed in you by them and their families could not have been greater."
The judge said that one of the schoolboys came forward in 2001 and reported his concerns to the Bishop of Bath and Wells.
"He contacted your Bishop who spoke to you and you denied any inappropriate behaviour but agreed that you would not be alone with children. I don't know if there was a time limit imposed but regardless of that you continued your abusive contact."
Smith, who was dressed smartly in a dark suit, shirt and tie, closed his eyes as the judge sentenced him.
Smith's reign of abuse began when he was appointed assistant housemaster at the Douai Abbey monastic boarding school in Berkshire, in 1975.
During his one academic year at the school in the mid 1970s he abused three boys.
Nearly 25 years later, one them saw Smith speaking about the death of his cousin in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Shocked to see his former teacher was now a vicar, he wrote to the Church to express his concerns.
The
victim was however reassured by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, Jim Thompson, the problem had "effectively been dealt with".
Smith left the school and went on to to form a close relationship with another young boy, after being appointed as a curate in Gloucestershire, in 1981.
Smith was later entrusted to look after him when his parents went on holiday for a week, but used the opportunity to assault the boy indecently, it was claimed.
The charge was dropped during the trial.
The jury, however, heard that the boy's parents became so concerned about Smith's relationship with their son that they contacted the police.
His mother said she was left with the impression the Church was going "to deal with the problem".
But Smith went on to abuse three more boys after becoming the vicar at St John's in Clevedon in 1993.
Smith was suspended from duty pending the outcome of the case.
Last Updated: 04 May 2007
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* Published Date: 04 May 2007
* Location: The Press Association Newsdesk
A parish priest has been found guilty of sexually abusing a string of boys over nearly 30 years.
The Rev David Smith, 52, took advantage of his trusted position to groom and molest six vulnerable youngsters.
He indecently assaulted some of his young victims during sleep-overs at the vicarage in Clevedon, Somerset, and during holidays abroad.
The two-week trial at Bristol Crown Court heard that concerns about the vicar were raised with the Church of England on two occasions, first in 1983 and again in 2001.
The two complainants were assured that the matter had been "dealt with", but Smith continued to abuse boys in his parish.
Smith, vicar of St John the Evangelist in Clevedon, had denied all 12 charges against him, claiming they were a "figment of someone's imagination".
But a jury of eight women and four men took just two hours to find him unanimously guilty of 10 charges of indecent assault, one sexual assault of a child under 13 and one of sexual activities with a child under 16.
The attacks happened between 1976 and 2005 and involved six boys under the age of 16.
Smith closed his eyes as the jury foreman read out the guilty verdicts on all the charges.
Saturday May 5, 2007
Sex abuse shadows Church
Catholic leaders make gains, but toll mounts, report shows
By William Moyer
Press & Sun-Bulletin
During the past two years, no "credible allegations" of sexual abuse have been filed against priests or deacons in the Syracuse Diocese of the Catholic Church.
In the Rochester Diocese, though, two allegations were lodged in 2006 -- one against a deceased priest dating back to 1954. Four allegations had been reported in 2005.
The local data was compiled for an annual report by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.
The national conference of bishops commissioned the CARA survey several years ago to track allegations and costs related to priestly sexual abuse following widely reported incidents of misbehavior by priests that were initially uncovered in the Boston area.
NEW ALLEGATIONS CITED
The national statistics for 2006 showed 635 new and "credible allegations" of sexual abuse were lodged against 394 priests or deacons from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, according to data filed by 193 of the 195 dioceses in the United States. Two dioceses refused to participate in the voluntary survey.
That compares to 695 new allegations in 2005 and 898 in 2004. About 60 percent of the priests or deacons named in 2006 had already been accused in previous cases. About 55 percent of the allegations were reported by the victim, according to CARA; 80 percent of the victims are males.
A caution when reading the statistics: Because an accusation was filed in 2006 does not necessarily mean the alleged sexual abuse occurred last year: It means the allegation was reported to church authorities in 2006.
In fact, the CARA report said a majority of the allegations reported in 2006 were related to alleged incidents from decades ago; about 70 percent reportedly occurred between 1960 and 1984. About 70 percent of the accused offenders were deceased, had already been removed from ministry or left the priesthood.
Catholic churches in Broome and Chenango counties are included in the Syracuse area. Tioga County churches are part of the Rochester Diocese.
Though the Syracuse area has been devoid of any credible allegations in 2006 and 2005, sexual abuse by priests has still taken a toll on the priesthood and drained thousands of dollars from the diocese's treasury, according to Danielle Cummings, assistant chancellor and director of communications.
21 PRIESTS REMOVED
Since sexual abuse by Catholic clergy began making widespread headlines in the early 2000s, Cummings said the diocese has removed 21 priests from ministry; many due to incidents dating back 15 to 30 years.
Nine lawsuits are outstanding, Cummings added. One clergyman from the Syracuse area was removed or retired in 2005 based on sexual abuse allegations, according to CARA.
In 2006, the Syracuse Diocese spent almost $52,000 for therapy for victims and almost $42,000 for attorneys' fees. The diocese also spent almost $147,000 for victims' assistance, background checks, as well as prevention and protection programs.
About 16,000 people have been trained in the diocese's Safe Environment Program for priests, employees and volunteers who work with youths under 18.
The costs for 2006 in Rochester are not available because the diocese did not undergo an on-site audit, according to spokesman Doug Mandelaro.
Both dioceses have victim-assistance coordinators who handle complaints of suspected abuse involving a minor and clergy, a church employee or volunteer.
FALLEN FROM GRACE
One of the allegations in 2006 in the Rochester area involved John Steger, a former pastor at St. Jude the Apostle in Gates, west of Rochester. Police filed misdemeanor charges against the longtime priest after a 12-year-old girl said she was inappropriately touched in the church rectory last spring. Steger's case is pending in the courts, Mandelaro said.
In 2005, the Rochester allegations included misdemeanor charges against Dennis R. Sewar, a former pastor at the Church of the Annunciation in northeast Rochester who was accused of fondling a 14-year-old boy.
Sewar pleaded guilty to a non-sexual charge and avoided registration as a sex offender. Also that year, federal charges were filed against Michael Volino, former pastor of St. John the Evangelist in Greece, a Rochester suburb. Volino admitted to possessing child pornography and must register as a sex offender.
CASES SHOW TIER IMPACT
Some sexual abuse cases involving former priests who once served parishes in the Southern Tier before the national CARA survey include:
* David P. Simon, a former pastor at an Apalachin church, resigned in May 2003 at the request of Bishop Matthew H. Clark of Rochester. Simon admitted to sexually abusing a teenager in the mid-1970s before he was assigned to St. Margaret-Mary from 1983 to 1999.
* Albert H. Cason, a former co-pastor at St. Patrick Church, was removed from ministry in 1985 by the Diocese for sexual misconduct with children at the Owego parish.
* Eugene Emo, an associate pastor at St. Margaret-Mary and St. Patrick in the 1960s and 1970s, pleaded guilty in 1997 to molesting a 30-year-old disabled man not connected to the Tioga County churches.
* John S. Lugowski, a former associate pastor at St. Joseph Church, pleaded guilty in 1987 and resigned from the priesthood in 1989 after serving eight months in jail for felony sodomy and sexual abuse of a 10-year-old Binghamton boy, which occurred after Lugowski left the Endicott church in 1983.
COSTS ARE STAGGERING
The national aggregate costs related to sexual abuse allegations fell in 2006 from 2005, but the dollar amount is still staggering, according to the CARA report.
Almost $398.6 million was paid out by dioceses as settlements, therapy, support and attorneys' fees in 2006, including $220.1 million for settlements to victims.
That compares to a $466.9 million total in 2005. Across the country, dioceses spent $25.6 million in 2006 for prevention and protection programs.
"The sad truth is that this entire process is essentially a PR sham based on self-reported 'statistics' given by bishops themselves, the very same men who got us into this mess," The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said in a statement on their Web site.
PARISHIONERS AFFECTED
And the continuing evidence of new sexual abuse allegations against priests is taking a toll on Catholic parishioners' confidence in their leadership.
According to a March survey by LeMoyne College in Syracuse on Contemporary Catholic Trends -- done in cooperation with Zogby International based in Utica, 31 percent of 1,522 respondents across the country said they are aware of an accused priest in their diocese, and these Catholics report less support for bishops -- 61 percent -- than the 74 percent approval rating among those who are unaware of an accusation.
Matthew Loveland, principal investigator, said "the emotional toll is great for all Catholics, but more difficult for those who can put a face on it."
Gannett News Service contributed to this report.
Two more arrests made in high school sex abuse case
05/03/2007
Associated Press
Two teenagers were arrested at Molalla High School in an ongoing investigation into alleged sexual misconduct involving a teammate on the boy's basketball team, state police said.
The 17- and 18-year-old were taken into custody on Wednesday at the school. Another 17-year-old was arrested in connection to the case late last month.
The alleged sex abuse occurred during a December 2006 road trip when the team traveled to the Seaside and Sisters areas.
John William Berokoff, 18, was arrested on sex abuse, coercion and harassment charges. He was being held at the Clatsop County Jail.
The 17-year-olds were not identified.
Times Argus
published May 3, 2007
U.S. man arrested in Hong Kong in notorious child sex-abuse case
KENNEWICK, Wash. — A man accused of raping his own daughter and videotaping the attack has been arrested in Hong Kong, ending a global manhunt that began after the girl's decision to tell her story on national TV helped connect the case to some of the Internet's most notorious molestation videos.
Police apprehended Kenneth John Freeman at the Hong Kong airport Tuesday night after he arrived there from mainland China. Officials said he injured four Chinese police officers while resisting arrest, but they did not release details or say whether Freeman also was hurt.
Freeman was living in Seattle when he fled the United States last year, months after his daughter told her mother he had assaulted her four years earlier. He was on the most-wanted lists of the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The girl appeared on the TV show "America's Most Wanted" to talk about the case. Tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after the show aired helped the center identify the girl as the victim in a series of child pornography videos, according to the Marshals Service. Video of the abuse is among the most widely downloaded child pornography videos in recent years, officials said.
Video files depicting the abuse also were discovered on a computer Freeman had given to his daughter.
Chris Peale, the girl's stepfather, said at a news conference in Kennewick that she deserves the most credit.
"We're rejoicing today. An awful man, an evil man has been captured," Peale said, glancing at his now-17-year-old stepdaughter, who smiled during the event but did not speak.
"Without her strength and conviction, this would never have happened," Peale said. "She stood up in front of America and said what had happened to her, and that's an admirable thing."
Authorities in Turkey, Greece and China helped U.S. officials track Freeman, 44, who officials say is an avid bodybuilder and computer expert who volunteered in the 1980s as a reserve sheriff's deputy in southeast Washington's Benton County.
"This is an embarrassment to law enforcement because of what he is accused of," Benton County Sheriff Larry Taylor said. "We're just all happy to see him in custody."
Investigators tracked Freeman to Suzhou, China, where he is believed to have been working at the local office of a U.S.-based company.
The U.S. does not have an extradition agreement with the Chinese government to return fugitives to their native nations. However, such a treaty does exist between the U.S. and Hong Kong. In the past several weeks, investigators discovered Freeman was planning to travel to Hong Kong, where he was arrested on his arrival at the airport, officials said.
"Our offices all over the world have been searching for him, have dedicated significant resources to finding him, and it's paid off," said Aaron Wilson, assistant special agent in charge at ICE's Seattle office. "Hopefully, we'll bring him back to the United States soon."
Freeman has been charged in Benton County Superior Court with three counts of rape of a child and jumping bail. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Freeman also faces federal charges of producing and distributing child pornography.
On the Net:
U.S. Marshals Service: http://www.usmarshals.gov/news/chron/200-7/050207.htm
Immigration and Customs Enforcement: http://www.ice.gov/
America's Most Wanted: http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=41919
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: http://www.missingkids.com/
Kenneth John Freeman allegedly posted video of the attack on his daughter on the Internet.
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Teacher accused of sex abuse fired
05/03/07
AT A GLANCE
The Howard County Board of Education last week severed the contract of a Glenelg High School teacher accused of sexually abusing students.
Meanwhile, the board also is in the process of reviewing Superintendent Sydney Cousin's recommendation that the employment of two other Howard County teachers charged with sexual offenses against minors also be terminated, according to a school spokeswoman.
The Glenelg teacher, Joseph Samuel Ellis, 26, of Elkridge, is accused of sexual misconduct with two female students. A trial in his case is slated for Aug. 20.
Following Ellis' arrest Jan. 5, Cousin placed Ellis on administrative leave and recommended that the school board terminate Ellis' contract based on the information uncovered in a police investigation, schools spokeswoman Patti Caplan said.
Ellis did not appeal Cousin's recommendation and the school board approved Ellis' dismissal April 26, schools attorney Mark Blom said.
Contacted by telephone this week, Ellis declined to comment on the matter and referred questions to his attorney, Gerald Richman, could not be reached for comment.
Charges against Ellis, stem from complaints by two students, according to police.
One student, a 17-year-old girl, told police that Ellis exposed himself to her and tried to force her to touch him when they were alone in a classroom in December, according to police. The 17-year-old girl also reported that Ellis sent her nude photos of himself engaged in a sex act over the Internet and text messages of a sexual nature on her cellular phone, charging documents state.
A 16-year-old student told police that Ellis sent her sexual messages and fondled her in a Columbia park in the summer of 2006, according to charging documents.
Ellis faces charges of sex abuse of a minor, fourth-degree sex offense, indecent exposure, displaying obscene material to a minor and telephone misuse.
Cousin also has recommended that the board sever the teaching contracts of two other educators facing charges of sexual misconduct, River Hill High School science teacher Alan Beier and Marriotts Ridge High School special education teacher Kirsten Kinley, Blom said, adding that both Beier and Kinley have exercised their right to appeal Cousin's recommendation to the school board.
A board-appointed hearing examiner will make a recommendation to the board regarding Beier's and Kinley's employment in the near future, Caplan said.
Beier, 52, was arrested Jan. 12 and is accused of sexually abusing three students, according to charging documents. His trial is scheduled for July 23.
Kinley, 27, was arrested Feb. 15 and is charged with engaging in sex acts with a 15-year-old boy, charging documents state. Her trial is scheduled for July 26.
Beier and Kinley did not respond to messages seeking comment.
-- Jennifer Surface
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