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Teacher Who Screwed Student Gets Slap On The Wrist
By
Garth Johnston
Published Sep 7, 2012
Modified Sep 7, 2012
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Special Commissioner of Investigation
By
Garth Johnston
Published Sep 7, 2012
Modified Sep 7, 2012
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School started this week for most New Yorkers, but not for Charles Oross. The 45-year-old former Queens middle school teacher instead resigned yesterday from the Department of Education and prepared to go to jail for having an ongoing sexual relationship with a student starting when she was 13-years-old. But don't worry, he'll be out in no time!
Rather than get the maximum sentence for his crimes (seven years in the slammer), Oross made a plea deal with the Queens DA that will have him spend six months in jail and 10 years on probation. He'll also have to complete a sex-offender program and pay some fines. To review, the then-married Oross has admitted to having a multi-year relationship with his student that included "oral sex and physical touching" in school classrooms, multiple long drives to "to a secluded location where they engaged in sexual physical touching, oral sex, and sexual intercourse" and loaded online chatting.
So why such a light slap on the wrist? The victim. We asked the DA's office about the sentence, and a spokesperson told us:
"The defendant was given the opportunity to plead guilty to the top count of the indictment and to surrender his teacher’s license in order to spare the young victim the ordeal of testifying at trial. The plea and proposed sentence were discussed with the victim and her family prior to today’s court appearance and they were in total agreement with the proposed outcome of this case.
The defendant is now a convicted felon and will be sentenced to six months of incarceration and ten years of probation at his next court appearance. He will also have to register with the state as a sex offender for the next twenty years and must successfully complete a sex offender treatment program. Under the circumstances, the proposed sentence is appropriate."
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crime and punishment
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Garth Johnston
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