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Ex-teacher pleads guilty to child abuse charges
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Posted on May 01 2002
A former public school teacher, whose role in a sex scandal last year stirred a community uproar, owned up yesterday to five counts of a 11-count criminal complaint that charged him of sexually abusing several school children.
Defendant Michael J. Dodd, 52, pleaded guilty to the charges before Superior Court Presiding Judge Edward Manibusan.
His admission of guilt was pursuant to a plea agreement entered between the Dodd’s defense lawyer, Robert Dunlop and the prosecution, through Assistant Attorney General Kevin Lynch.
In the agreement, Dodd claimed responsibility for the first five counts, indicating that he had sexual contact with five different Oleai Elementary School children from January to June 2001.
The minor victims were aged nine, eight, ten, eight and nine, according to court documents. The defendant reportedly touched each one of the minors sexually on varying parts of the body.
Three of the five children complained of being touched on the buttocks, while the other two recalled of being caressed on the breast area.
In exchange for pleading guilty to the said charges, the government dismissed with prejudice the six remaining charges against Dodd.
Manibusan has set Dodd’s sentencing hearing for July 2002.
The Attorney General’s Office, last August 21, 2001, had filed a second amended complaint charging Dodd with 11 counts of sexual abuse of a child and one count of attempted sexual abuse of a child.
The maximum jail sentence for the said charges were equal to 55 years and 6 months imprisonment, coupled with a maximum fine of $24,500.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, the government recommended to the court that Dodd be sentenced with a maximum term of imprisonment not exceeding 20 years.
