Teachers, bosses charged in school sex scandal

  GEOFF MULVIHILLCAMDEN -- Six months ago, a student came to Triton High School Principal Catherine DePaul with a disturbing story: She believed another student was involved in a sexual relationship with a teacher at the school, and she'd seen explicit text messages the two had exchanged.

At that moment, prosecutors say, a cover-up was put in motion that ultimately unraveled Thursday when DePaul, an assistant principal and three teachers were charged with offenses ranging from child endangerment to sexual assault and official misconduct.

Each of the five adults has been suspended from the school in the Philadelphia suburb of Runnemede, and each could face at least five years in prison if convicted.

The teachers - all men in their late 20s or early 30s - are accused of striking up relationships with female students during the 2011-2012 school year.

Sexual relationships between teachers and students are not unheard of. Camden County prosecutor Warren Faulk noted that the media seems particularly fixated on the female teacher-male student cases that are reported around the country each year. But what distinguished the allegations at Triton High was the inaction by administrators who ignored policies and safeguards that were in place and instead allowed a culture "where teachers thought they could get away with improper relationships with their students," according to Faulk.

"These charges constitute individual personal, moral, legal and ethical failure," Faulk said at a news conference Thursday.

Faulk said rape charges could not be filed because the sex acts were consensual and the girls were 17 or 18 at the time - old enough to consent under state law.

According to court documents, math teacher Dan Michielli, 27, of Blackwood, had intercourse with a student multiple times during the school year. He is charged with official misconduct, sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal sexual conduct.

Gym teacher and boys' soccer coach Nick Martinelli, 28, of Cherry Hill, is charged with official misconduct involving an 18-year-old. Prosecutors say he touched and kissed the girl when she was a student and had intercourse with her after she graduated in June.

Math teacher and girls' track coach Jeff Logandro, 32, of Blackwood, is charged with official misconduct, criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child. A court filing says he inappropriately touched a female student.

Authorities say a student, not one of the alleged victims, told a substitute teacher in April that teachers were "hooking up" with students. Authorities say the substitute teacher then told DePaul.

Prosecutors say the principal met with the student, who told her she'd been to one of the teacher's homes with a girl who was involved with him and had seen the explicit text messages. Authorities say DePaul asked her to write an account of what she had heard and that Assistant Principal Jernee Kollock stayed with the student to help her write the statement, even helping her with her grammar - but also making it seem less serious.

Around the same time, Faulk said, DePaul learned one of the teachers had driven an alleged victim and another student to Ocean City in violation of district policy. But, he said, the teacher was merely reprimanded.

Faulk said neither administrator contacted authorities. Both were charged with official misconduct.

Faulk said DePaul later said she wished she had been more concerned for the students than the teachers.

The defendants either could not be reached or did not return messages left Thursday by The Associated Press. All five are due in court Oct. 11.

The teachers were suspended by the Black Horse Regional School District last month; the administrators were suspended Thursday. Superintendent John Golden said in a statement that the district was cooperating with authorities, notifying families of students of the allegations and offering counseling.

"In addition, we have initiated a comprehensive review of our existing policies, protocols and training and education materials to prevent this from happening again at this or any district school," the statement said.

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NJ mayor resigns amid escort website sex scandal

  Eyewitness NewsMEDFORD -- The town's married mayor, accused on a website two months ago of having sex with a prostitute at a California hotel, resigned Monday.

The anonymous allegation against Republican Chris Myers, a father of two, included a photo of a man who appeared to be him in his underwear.

The person making the allegation claimed to be a prostitute. He said Myers contacted him through a male escort website and they met at a Newport Beach, Calif., hotel. He complained Myers paid him $500 but didn't fulfill promises of a car and other gifts. He said on the website that the broken promise was the reason he was taking his story public.

The website was taken down soon after becoming public.

Myers, in an interview with a reporter for the Courier-Post newspaper in October, refused to comment on the allegations but didn't deny them. At a November township council meeting, Myers denied the claims, calling the Internet "a murky, anonymous place."

His resignation letter submitted to town officials Monday did not mention the scandal.

"My work commitments will not allow me to devote the time that is needed in the months ahead," Myers wrote.

Some other council members have complained that the allegations against Myers have gotten in the way of the business of the town of 23,000 residents about 20 miles east of Philadelphia. Myers missed one township council meeting and postponed another after the allegations surfaced.

Myers won the GOP nomination for a congressional seat in 2008 but lost the general election. He has been suspended as a vice president at technology manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp.

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Sexting scandal at middle school in Wyckoff

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsWYCKOFF, N.J. (WABC) -- A 13-year-old girl took explicit photos of herself and forwarded them to several boys.

You can guess what happened next; they forwarded them to more boys and now the police are involved in this sexting scandal.

Wyckoff police have issued a warning to students at Eisenhower Middle School: delete any explicit photos on your phones by Thursday morning or face child pornography charges.

"We think that by making this a learning experience instead of arresting and charging people that there's a lot to be learned here," said Chief Benjamin Fox, of the Wyckoff Police Department.

Wyckoff Police know that dozens of students have viewed the explicit photos a 13-year-old girl took of herself and then sexted to several boys.

The sext got forwarded around until a teacher heard about it and called police.

"A lot of people are talking about it, it's a big deal now, whoever has that picture now is deleting the picture," said Goldie Felixbrod, a student.

In a letter sent home, police are asking parents to talk to their children about the dangers of sexting.

"I have an 11-year-old son, we're always looking over his shoulder, we keep him busy all the time, and that would never happen in my house," said Kevin Kohler, a parent.

Officials recommend that parents check their teenagers' photos and texts.

"I check my children's phones, I check the computers, I try to talk to them," said Tricia Dugan, a parent.

Julia's mother checks her phone every night.

I put my phone on her desk and she can check it, so I don't care because I don't have much to hide," said Julia Sancetta, a 7th grader.

But other parents expressed reservations about reading what some teens feel amounts to a modern-day diary.

"I try not to invade their privacy, but maybe I should be doing more of that," said Jim Fuhrman, a parent.

There was a similar incident in Wyckoff three years ago and this has been an issue in schools all over the country.

Police say it's always worth a reminder to warn your child about the dangers of sexting.

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