Portland education technician accused of sex crimes faces more charges

Rachel Ohm, Portland Press Herald, Maine
·2 min read

Oct. 15—A Portland education technician accused of multiple sex crimes made an initial appearance in court Friday, where a judge said he is facing two additional charges of indecent conduct and assault.

Benjamin Conroy, 32, was already charged with unlawful sexual contact in connection with an Oct. 8 incident in which he allegedly exposed himself to and pressed up against a woman on the Western Promenade. He was also charged Wednesday with sexual exploitation of a minor, dissemination of sexually explicit material and possession of sexually explicit material related to a case involving a student at Ocean Avenue Elementary School where Conroy worked before being place on leave.

During an initial court appearance Friday, Cumberland County Superior Court Justice MaryGay Kennedy said Conroy has also been charged with indecent conduct and assault related to his actions on Oct. 8, the date of the incident on the promenade. Kennedy said the assault charge involved a victim with the same initials as the woman in the unlawful sexual contact charge, though it was not immediately clear if the new charges are from the same incident.

Conroy, who was placed on administrative leave from Portland Public Schools last weekend, was not asked to enter a plea to any of the charges. He did not speak during the brief hearing, which was held via Zoom, other than to state his date and place of birth. A woman who identified herself as Conroy's partner also attended the hearing and looked upset as the proceeding unfolded.

Conroy is next scheduled to appear in court for a trial May 4, although Kennedy told Conroy she "suspects we will be seeing you prior to that."

Conroy is being held at the York County Jail on $50,000 cash bail along with the conditions he not have contact with any children under the age of 16; not be allowed to use or posses any electronic device such as phones or computers that can access the internet; not be present at any school; and not have contact with the victims in the cases.

This story will be updated.