Salem, Massachusetts teacher accused of trying to meet teen girl for sex pleads not guilty to several charges
SALEM - A Salem, Massachusetts teacher accused of trying to meet up with a teenager for sex, pleaded not guilty to several charges Friday.
Salem teacher charged
Forty-two-year-old Darren Benedick, a gym and health teacher, was arraigned in Essex County Superior Court on multiple felonies, including enticement of a child under 16, possession of child pornography, distribution of obscene matter to a minor, and three counts of sharing visual material of a child in a sexual act.
He was released on $5,000 bail and placed on house arrest.
Benedick is accused of making plans to meet up with a 14-year-old girl for a sexual encounter. Investigators say he was unaware he was actually talking to an undercover Newbury police officer who was monitoring the teens-only chat room.
Benedick was arrested on July 3 and indicted on July 29.
"Never, ever harmed a child"
"He is innocent until proven guilty," Benedick's lawyer, Daniel Gaudet, said outside court. "He has never, ever harmed a child in any way."
Benedick previously worked at Salem Academy Charter School. Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker said that none of Benedick's students are believed to be victims of his alleged misconduct.
"He was a dedicated, and beloved, and respected teacher for many years," Gaudet said.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for October 3, but Benedick is not required to be there.
Police advise parents and guardians to talk to their children about "age-appropriate discussions about proper online and social media behavior" and encourage them to speak up if any adult has any "inappropriate contact" with them.
