Teacher Charged With Sex Abuse Sent Explicit Texts to Student

MANHATTAN CRIMINAL COURT — A veteran Hell's Kitchen high school teacher who trained aspiring soldiers groped a 14-year-old student and sent her a slew of sexually explicit texts and emails over the course of two months, prosecutors said.

Darryl Lynch, 55, was charged with forcible touching, sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly molesting the girl on two occasions inside the High School of Graphic Communication Arts on West 49th Street, where he was a Reserve Officers Training Corps teacher,  authorities said.

Lynch is the fifth teacher charged this month with sexually abusing students in the city school system.  The wave of allegations, in four of the five boroughs, has sparked outrage among parents and prompted a Department of Education investigation of past complaints of sexual abuse.

The incidents involving Lynch allegedly occurred on Feb. 8 and then again sometime before Feb. 17.

Lynch, of Bridgeport, Conn., appeared in court for his arraignment Wednesday donning a Derek Jeter jersey and jeans. He fled from reporters on his way out of the courthouse and declined to comment.

According to prosecutors, the suspect rubbed his genitals on the student and grabbed her in inappropriate places at the school, where has taught since 1997.

Lynch also "engaged in sexually graphic communications with informant via the Internet and by text messaging with informant," the criminal complaint says.

Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Michelle Armstrong issued an order of protection barring Lynch from contacting the girl in any way or visiting her home or school.

She freed Lynch after prosecutors consented to his release without bail. It is not clear why the DA's office did not ask for bail.

Virginia LoPreto, Lynch's union attorney, told the judge the teacher would be reassigned to another post within the DOE and would not be returning to the high school where he has worked since 1997.  

The United Federation of Teachers typically provides an attorney for members who are arrested for their initial appearance before a judge.

Lynch's arrest sparked a strong rebuke from Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott.

"I am outraged by these charges, and have no tolerance for adults who betray the trust of their students and school communities," he said.

This month, Walcott has had to contend with the arrest of a number of teachers on charges ranging from sex abuse to assault.

On Feb. 6, Taleek Brooks, a former teacher's aide at P.S. 243 in Brooklyn, was charged by the FBI with filming child porn in a classroom. On Feb. 10, Gregory Atkins was charged with abusing an 8-year-old boy at P.S. 87 on the Upper West Side. On Feb. 16, Wilbert Cortez, a 49-year-old computer teacher at P.S. 174 in Rego Park, Queens, was charged with abusing two boys. On Feb. 23, Brett Picou, 30, who works at P.S. 52 in Springfield Gardens, was arrested and accused of hugging and groping 9- and 10-year-old girls between October 2011 and February 2012.