MedicCook
05-24-2007, 10:39 AM
Teacher faces sex charges
BALLSTON SPA - A Clifton Park Elementary school teacher is now accused of molesting eight little boys with at least two incidents of abuse that allegedly took place in the fall of 2002, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday in Ballston Spa.
A grand jury handed up a 49-count indictment Wednesday against Christopher R. Culver, 32, of 2 Colina Lane, Clifton Park. Culver had been a first-grade and kindergarten teacher at Shenendehowa School District's Okte Elementary School on Crescent Road before being suspended this past February. The school district now faces civil lawsuits from the alleged victims.
Previously, Culver had only been charged with incidents police say took place during this school year. School District Spokeswoman Kelly DeFeciani said Wednesday there were no previous cases because that is what troopers told the school.
"We didn't know about these older cases when this thing broke," she said.
Culver faces up to seven years in state prison if convicted for each count of the 41 class D felony charges facing him. However, state law limits his maximum prison time to 20 years, Assistant Saratoga County District Attorney Jennifer Jensen said.
Culver's defense attorney, Terence Kindlon of Albany, didn't return calls for comment Wednesday afternoon.
Culver, who's pleaded innocent and turned down a plea deal a few months ago, is charged with 29 counts of first-degree sexual abuse, defined in state law as sexual contact with a child younger than 11. He's also charged with 12 counts of second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child. This crime is defined in state law as committing two or more acts of sexual abuse against a child younger than 11 during less than three months of elapsed time.
Culver is also charged with eight counts - one count for each victim - of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.
Most of the charges stem from events that took place from September to February of this year, according to court documents, with two incidents taking place in 2002. All the alleged abuse took place in Clifton Park, according to the indictment. Jensen said all the alleged abuse took place at the Okte School.
Culver is free on bail and will appear in county court at 9 a.m. Tuesday for an arraignment, or
formal reading of the felony indictment.
Culver was considered a beloved teacher at the Okte School until February when a parent came forward alleging that Culver had inappropriately touched a first-grade boy from his class. State Police investigators brought Culver in, and they say he made "admissions" prior to being formally charged. Other children came forward during the course of the investigation and the number of suspected victims rose form one to six and then eight.
Prosecutors offered Culver a plea deal this spring that would have included "significant" prison time but some reduction in sentence from the maximum penalty. In return, the first-grade victims would have been spared testifying before a grand jury.
At the time, Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III said the victims would probably testify before the 23-member panel by videotape. Jensen, the county's sex-crimes prosecutor, said she anticipates the boys will have to testify in open court if the case goes to trial.
"The boys were courageous for coming forward," Jensen said. "They are heroes."
http://www.saratogian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18381311&BRD=1169&PAG=461&dept_id=602469&rfi=6
BALLSTON SPA - A Clifton Park Elementary school teacher is now accused of molesting eight little boys with at least two incidents of abuse that allegedly took place in the fall of 2002, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday in Ballston Spa.
A grand jury handed up a 49-count indictment Wednesday against Christopher R. Culver, 32, of 2 Colina Lane, Clifton Park. Culver had been a first-grade and kindergarten teacher at Shenendehowa School District's Okte Elementary School on Crescent Road before being suspended this past February. The school district now faces civil lawsuits from the alleged victims.
Previously, Culver had only been charged with incidents police say took place during this school year. School District Spokeswoman Kelly DeFeciani said Wednesday there were no previous cases because that is what troopers told the school.
"We didn't know about these older cases when this thing broke," she said.
Culver faces up to seven years in state prison if convicted for each count of the 41 class D felony charges facing him. However, state law limits his maximum prison time to 20 years, Assistant Saratoga County District Attorney Jennifer Jensen said.
Culver's defense attorney, Terence Kindlon of Albany, didn't return calls for comment Wednesday afternoon.
Culver, who's pleaded innocent and turned down a plea deal a few months ago, is charged with 29 counts of first-degree sexual abuse, defined in state law as sexual contact with a child younger than 11. He's also charged with 12 counts of second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child. This crime is defined in state law as committing two or more acts of sexual abuse against a child younger than 11 during less than three months of elapsed time.
Culver is also charged with eight counts - one count for each victim - of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.
Most of the charges stem from events that took place from September to February of this year, according to court documents, with two incidents taking place in 2002. All the alleged abuse took place in Clifton Park, according to the indictment. Jensen said all the alleged abuse took place at the Okte School.
Culver is free on bail and will appear in county court at 9 a.m. Tuesday for an arraignment, or
formal reading of the felony indictment.
Culver was considered a beloved teacher at the Okte School until February when a parent came forward alleging that Culver had inappropriately touched a first-grade boy from his class. State Police investigators brought Culver in, and they say he made "admissions" prior to being formally charged. Other children came forward during the course of the investigation and the number of suspected victims rose form one to six and then eight.
Prosecutors offered Culver a plea deal this spring that would have included "significant" prison time but some reduction in sentence from the maximum penalty. In return, the first-grade victims would have been spared testifying before a grand jury.
At the time, Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III said the victims would probably testify before the 23-member panel by videotape. Jensen, the county's sex-crimes prosecutor, said she anticipates the boys will have to testify in open court if the case goes to trial.
"The boys were courageous for coming forward," Jensen said. "They are heroes."
http://www.saratogian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18381311&BRD=1169&PAG=461&dept_id=602469&rfi=6