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Is teacher at Mora High School
By Patrick Tepoorten
A disclosure to authorities by a
female student at Mora High School, and a subsequent investigation of a
teacher's computer, has a Rush City man facing charges related to
showing pornography to minors.
Joseph Patrick Ferraro, 29, of
Rush City, and a math teacher and football coach at Mora High School,
was charged on Jan. 14 with "exhibiting obscene material" to a juvenile
female student, and disorderly conduct, after the student came forward
to authorities on Nov. 30.
According to the criminal complaint,
the student told investigators that Ferraro had shown her videos of
naked adult females on his computer during break periods, during a time
frame between mid-September to mid-November.
The videos depicted
women in the act of striptease and playing naked football. There was
also a video of a toddler playing with a sexual enhancement device. The
juvenile student commented that Ferraro would make comments on the
females during viewings, and said "he and his present girlfriend watch
pornography together on a regular basis."
During the same
time-frame, the student alleges that Ferraro often made suggestive
comments to her, like asking if she had seen a male student naked yet,
asking her if she was sexually active with her boyfriend, and telling
her he had posed nude during college because he was "proud of what he
had."
The victim told investigators that the conversations and videos made her "physically sick and depressed."
A
friend of the victim's alleges that some comments were made in his/her
presence, and subsequent interviews were consistent with the victim's
allegations. The victim's boyfriend also corroborated her testimony.
In
early December, authorities spoke with Ferraro for the first time, and
he denied having pornographic material on his computer. When informed
that his computer was going to be sent to the Bureau of Criminal
Apprehension (BCA) for analysis, investigators stated that Ferraro's
demeanor visibly changed.
A search warrant for the contents of
the computer by the BCA revealed "many graphic files that depicted
provocatively posed, naked, or engaged in explicit sexual activity." In
addition, the files were consistent with descriptions given by the
victim.
The Mora School District has confirmed that Ferraro has
been placed on paid administrative leave as a result of the
allegations. Superintendent Doug Conboy though, was out of the office
for a pre-scheduled conference and was unavailable for further comment.
Ferraro, who was unable to be reached for comment, is scheduled to appear in Kanabec County Court on Feb. 7, at 1:30 p.m.
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