Crime & Safety
M.S. 35 Teacher Arraigned Thursday Morning
Claudia Tillery, a teacher at M.S. 35, is being charged with a criminal sexual act after allegedly raping a 14-year-old boy.
Claudia Tillery, the teacher at M.S. 35 who was arrested on Tuesday after a 14-year-old student at the school came forward with allegations of rape, was arraigned and released without bail on Thursday morning, to await trial, according to NY1.
NY1 reports that Tillery is officially being charged with a criminal sexual act, unlawful dealing of drugs and alcohol to a child, and sexual misconduct, though her attorney claims that the 14-year-old boy has a previous arrest record, and believes the case will be dismissed.
According to the New York Post, Tillery had been having a sexual relationship with the boy for two years and had been providing him with drugs and alcohol. According to the report, none of the activity took place on school grounds or during school hours.
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According to the Daily News, Tillery’s lawyer says that his client mentored the boy, but he turned on her after Tillery had him arrested for stealing her cell phone.
The Daily News also reports that Tillery has been removed from her classroom indefinitely, pending the outcome of the case, according to Department of Education spokeswoman Barbara Morgan.
