Cranston Police: Science teacher has a pattern of sexual assault complaints

By: Kirsten Glavin

kglavin@abc6.com

CRANSTON, R.I. – A troubling pattern of sexual assault allegations was uncovered by police after Cranston High School West science teacher, Charles Pearson, was arrested for sexually assaulting a student.

Cranston Police told ABC6 News on Wednesday they even seized a bra found in Pearson’s desk. 

"This is what we believe is a pattern of behavior that we’re seeing, and it just lends to more credibility of the victims that have come forward in this particular case," said Colonel Winquist of the Cranston Police Department.

Cranston police say the allegations started as early as 2001, when Pearson resigned from the Rhode Island Training School after a girl, reported he grabbed her inappropriately.

He was hired a short time later at Cranston West, as the science teacher and a coach.

"He was also a soccer coach at the high school while employed by Cranston schools, and he also had similar allegations levied against him," added Winquist.

While working as the girl’s soccer coach, two more allegations by girls were made, in 2009, and 2013.

One girl claimed he slapped her bottom.

Pearson resigned again as a coach after the 2013 allegations, but the school let him keep his teaching job.

Cranston police say the school never reported any of the incidents to them and instead, simply noted the complaints in Pearson’s personnel file.

Parents were in disbelief at the news.

"How could someone like that be hired? Just how safe is your child now in school?" said mother Lechia Lemoi.

Pearson’s past came to light just as a second arrest is made in the latest case.

Police, also arresting Cranston West school psychologist, 48 year old George Blessing on Tuesday for failing to report that a student told him Pearson had sexually assaulted her nearly two months prior.

"My oldest daughter would go and see him occasionally for stress and how to handle the new stresses of being in high school. And to find out that girls have gone to him and not reported it? That’s sick," noted Lemoi.

ABC6 News stopped by Blessing’s home Tuesday evening, but there was no answer.

As for administration at Cranston West not reporting the prior allegations, Colonel Winquist says there would have been charges at the time, but now it’s too late.

The statute of limitations on sexual assault is only three years.

ABC6 News did reach out to the Cranston School District by email to ask more about these allegations at school but to no avail.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017