A Lengthy Island college district allegedly failed to guard a former scholar from a perv worker who locked him in a college lavatory and sexually assaulted him, a newly revealed lawsuit claims.
The Massapequa college district is accused of figuring out about janitor Michael Sodano’s alleged predatory tendencies and doing nothing to cease him earlier than he groped the then-18-year-old highschool senior in February, in keeping with the coed’s go well with in Nassau County Supreme Court docket.
“[The district], regardless of figuring out of the inappropriate sexual, offensive, dangerous tendencies of [Sodano], didn’t train ample care and management within the hiring, retention, and supervision,” of the now-former staffer, the grievance states.
It additionally alleges the district “failed to watch and supervise [Sodano] — as to stop him from committing the offensive, dangerous and undesirable acts.”
Sodano allegedly preyed on the coed — whose title The Submit is withholding as he’s an alleged sufferer of sexual assault — for weeks main up the incident, acquiring his telephone quantity by pretending to need to purchase headphones off the teenager, the go well with claims.
Not lengthy after the pair began texting concerning the sale, Sodano’s messages allegedly took a sickening flip — asking the then-highschooler for hugs and eager to have a threesome, the go well with detailed.
After texting for weeks, Sodano allegedly instructed the coed to satisfy him within the boy’s lavatory close to his gymnasium class so he might buy the headphones with out it giving the “impression of a drug deal,” courtroom paperwork mentioned.
However when the coed walked into the toilet to promote the headphones, Sodano allegedly used his janitor keys to lock the door behind him and block the exit together with his physique, in keeping with the grievance.
Sodano then allegedly “bear-hugged” the coed and began kissing him throughout his face whereas grabbing his buttocks, the submitting reads.
The disgraced janitor was arrested the subsequent day and arraigned in March on costs of forcible touching and third-degree sexual abuse, in keeping with courtroom paperwork.
He has since pleaded not responsible on each costs and is due again in courtroom on Friday.
The teenager’s lawsuit towards the district — which seeks an unspecified quantity in damages — was filed in July, however first reported by News12 on Wednesday.
“We’re conscious of the allegations and the person in query is not an worker of the district,” District Superintendent Dr. William Brennan instructed The Submit in an announcement.
“All vital background checks had been performed and handed in accordance with NYS legislation. The district doesn’t touch upon confidential scholar issues or these pertaining to litigation,” he mentioned.
Sodano’s lawyer, Michael Langer, didn’t reply to The Submit’s request for remark, however instructed Newsday his consumer was “wrongfully accused.”
The coed’s lawyer, Matthew B. Lefkowitz, additionally didn’t reply to The Submit’s request for remark.
