(WHTM) – Lower Swatara Township police say charges have been filed on Feb. 8 against a former teacher at Middletown Area High School.
Zachary Agustin Cerrone, 33, of Hershey is facing multiple charges including two counts of institutional sexual assault, two counts of unlawful contact with a minor, two counts of corruption of minors, and three counts of indecent assault.
Police state that the charges stem from incidents that allegedly happened between September and November 2023 at the Middletown Area High School.
The criminal complaint states that Cerrone allegedly inappropriately touched a student and another staff member of Middletown Area High School. One female student alleged Cerrone would stare at her, give her answers to tests, and once gave her his shirt.
In a statement posted to the district’s website , Superintendent Chelton Hunter said that the district took “immediate action” when they learned about the accusations in December from students.
“It has recently come to our attention from local media sources that a former teacher within our school district has been charged with alleged inappropriate conduct. We are deeply troubled by these allegations as situations like this erode the trust that students, parents, and the community place within the educators of the school district. In addition, we understand the seriousness of these allegations and want to assure our community that the proper steps were taken to remove this individual from the school district pending a full-scale investigation.
Upon learning of these accusations from students on December 7, 2023, the high school administration took immediate action to address the situation. They conducted an internal investigation with students and staff, placed a Childline referral to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and cooperated fully with local law enforcement authorities as they continue to investigate this matter. The day the accusations were made, the teacher was put on immediate administrative leave with pay and never returned to the District, with an exit date of January 2, 2024.
The District will continue to take the necessary steps to protect and ensure the safety and well-being of our students. We want to emphasize that inappropriate conduct of any kind will not be tolerated within our school district. If anyone has additional information that is related to this case, please reach out to the school district or Lower Swatara Police Department.”
Superintendent Chelton Hunter