DA: Teacher's Aide Engaged In Sex Acts With 2 Students In Pa.
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)—A teacher's aide at a Pennsylvania high school is facing charges after authorities say she engaged in sexual acts with two students.
Sheri Maufort, 42, of West Chester Pennsylvania, who was a teacher's aide at Unionville High School, was arrested Wednesday on charges of institutional sexual assault, corruption of minors, unlawful contact with minor and endangering welfare of children.
"I have said it before and I will say it again, do not have sexual contact with a student. If you break this rule, you will be fired, sent to jail and never work in a school again, said Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan.
Police say back in August, Maufort contacted a student under the age of 18, where she supplied him with alcohol and performed oral sex on him on a field in Birmingham Township, Chester County.
According to the Chester County District Attorney's Office, Maufort told the student not to tell anyone what happened and to "call her when he turned 18."
Roughly three weeks later, authorities say Maufort contacted a second student, who was 18 at the time, but a student at Unionville High School. In this incident, Maufort is accused of driving the victim out of a neighborhood where he was attending a party and began kissing him and touching his genitals.
The Chester County District Attorney's Office says both incidents happened during August and September of 2016.
Authorities say they learned about the sexual acts just last week on November 11, 2016.
Maufort was an employee since 2015, with a company that provides substitute teachers, aides and administrative support staff to various schools, including Unionville-Chadds Ford School District.
"Any sexual contact between an adult and a minor is a serious matter. The involvement of a teacher's aide, someone who is entrusted with the well-being of a student and who is in a position of authority, cannot and will not be tolerate," said Lt. Richard D'Ambrosio, with the Pennsylvania State Police.
The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District says they're shocked and very disappointed to learn of these allegations.
"We've cooperated fully with the Chester County District Attorney, and will be offering counseling services to our students," said a school district spokesperson. "We're fully committed to ensuring our students' safety and criminal conduct will never be tolerated in our district. Our own administrators immediately reported these allegations when they surfaced as rumors. This incident is not a reflection on our staff who are among the brightest and most dedicated. We hope our community and the media will provide respect and privacy for any students who are impacted by these crimes."
READ MORE: LETTER TO PARENTS: Unionville-Chadds Ford School District Superintendent Sends Letter to Parents Regarding Arrest of Teacher's Aide
In a letter send to the parents, Superintendent John Sanville says Maufort had worked in the school district on 25 occasions, including 11 days at Unionville High School.
"[She] had completed all background checks and obtained all clearances as required by both the state of Pennsylvania and the Substitute Teacher Service (STS) with whom she was employed," Sanville said in the letter.
School officials say after an administrator heard a rumor about the alleged crimes they immediately called the Chester County District Attorney.
