Former Salem Gym Teacher To Be Arraigned On Child Sex Charges

SALEM, MA — A former Salem Academy Charter School gym and health teacher accused of attempting to meet a person purported to be a 14-year-old girl for sex is set to be arraigned on child exploitation and pornography charges, according to the Essex County District Attorney's Office.

The Essex DA's Office said Darren Benedick, 42, of Salem will be arraigned in Superior Court in Salem on Aug. 23 on felony charges of enticement of a child under 16, distribution of obscene matter to a minor, possession of child pornography and three counts of distributing material of a child in a sexual act.

The DA's Office said Benedick was charged as part of a sting operation involving the monitoring of a "teens only" chat room. A Newbury police officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl, said conversations were had online with Benedick in which he expressed a desire to meet for a sexual encounter and sent an obscene image to the officer.

The Essex DA's office said Benedick was arrested when he arrived for a July 3 meeting with the person he presumably believed to be the teen girl. He was indicted on July 29.

Newbury Deputy Chief Aaron Wojtkowski, a member of the Massachusetts Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, is serving as lead investigator in the case.

Law enforcement officials said there have been no accusations of Benedick engaging in inappropriate conduct with students at the school but urged parents and guardians to engage their children in age-appropriate discussions about proper online and social media behavior and to encourage them to say something if they encounter inappropriate contact or conduct from an adult.