Pope John HS teacher accused of taking lewd photos of students in classroom, at homecoming
A Pope John XXIII Regional High School science teacher was charged Monday after authorities say he had hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including those he allegedly took of students in his classroom and at a school dance.
Michael F. Wagner, 39, of Hopatcong, who worked for several years at the academy's Rev. George A. Brown Elementary School before he was hired at Pope John last year, was charged with endangering the welfare of children, possession of items depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of a child and invasion of privacy, according to arrest documents obtained by the New Jersey Herald.
Video captured earlier this month on an in-classroom camera showed Wagner use his cellphone to record and/or take photos of female students while he was seated at his desk and while walking around the room, a Sparta police detective said in the arrest report. Wagner, who taught eighth grade physics and science, used a notepad to cover the screen of the phone and had female students move to desks in the front of the classroom so he could film them from underneath his desk, the report states.
Students at the Roman Catholic private school wear uniforms; girls wear pleated skorts, slacks, polo shirts and sweaters.
Authorities searched Wagner's home and took five laptops and five cellphones, which had hundreds of images and videos he purportedly took underneath the skorts of students as well as recordings captured underneath the dresses of girls at the school's homecoming dance, records show.
Other similar recordings were taken by Wagner at prior places of employment and devices taken from his home also had multiple images of child sexual abuse material, police said. A preliminary law enforcement report states Wagner "attempted to conceal, discard or destroy evidence" by hiding it in a couch.
Wagner's alleged transgressions were first reported by another teacher who overheard several students talking about Wagner recording them during class. The teacher notified administration, who called police and reported the alleged inappropriate conduct to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson on Oct. 11.
Wagner was immediately suspended and informed that he was strictly prohibited from accessing or being near the school property or a school function, according to Jai Agnish, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Paterson. Wagner was also instructed not to contact any students.
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Agnish said on Oct. 12, the Diocese submitted a report to the prosecutor's office, who is still actively investigating the case. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Sparta police or the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office.
Wagner was in full compliance with all Diocesan protocols including his New Jersey Department of Education fingerprint background check that searches criminal records, Agnish said. The Diocese and the high school are cooperating fully with the prosecutor's office, he added.
Wagner was arrested without incident and remains in the Morris County Jail pending a Friday detention hearing.
Lori Comstock can be reached on Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH, on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LoriComstockNJH or by phone: 973-383-1194.
This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Sparta NJ private school teacher facing criminal charges
