An East New York math teacher who allegedly sexually abused two junior high students was formally charged in Brooklyn Supreme Court on Wednesday, according to prosecutors.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced the charges against 59-year-old Gary Simon, who allegedly fondled the breasts of two female students at James P. Sinnott on Fountain Avenue in two separate incidents last December.
“The conduct alleged in this indictment marks an incredible betrayal of trust by an educator, and we have no tolerance for this kind of abuse,” said Gonzalez.
According to the investigation, the first victim, a 13-year-old girl, was in Simon’s classroom finishing an assignment when he allegedly wrote “you suck” on a paper she had handed him.
The victim claimed that when she asked Simon why he wrote that, he allegedly grabbed her and touched her breasts with his hands. The incident is alleged to have taken place between Nov. 15 and Dec. 15, 2023.
On Dec. 7, it is alleged that a second victim, a 12-year-old girl, was in Simon’s classroom taking a test when he hugged the girl and touched her breasts with his hands. The girl told Simon that she was going to report him, according to the investigation, and he allegedly laughed and said, “make sure you spell my name right.”
The allegations against Simon were relayed to the school principal after the first victim reported the alleged abuse to her counselor and the second victim reported the alleged abuse to her gym teacher.
Simon, of Flushing, Queens was arrested on Dec. 28, following a police investigation into the allegations.
He was arraigned Wednesday, Feb. 14 before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Tomlinson on an indictment in which he is charged with first- and second-degree sexual abuse, forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child.
Simon was ordered to return to court on April 7.
