The Legal Herald Logo
Legal Analysis By Attorneys
Breaking Legal News

Hempstead, New York - Jackson Annex Elementary School Teacher John Joseph Finnegan Charged with Child Sexual Abuse

Jackson Annex Elementary School
Published: January 28, 2019
By: Stephen Hayward
Last Updated on November 30, 2020

Long Island Teacher Accused of Sexual Abuse at After-School Program

An elementary school art teacher in Long Island has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a student and police believe there may be additional victims.

According to the authorities, 51-year-old John Joseph Finnegan sexually abused a 10-year-old girl on January 3 during an after-school program at Jackson Annex Elementary School in Hempstead, where Finnegan is a teacher.

While investigating this case, authorities discovered two more cases involving an additional two alleged victims they believe were targeted by Finnegan for sexual abuse during after-school programs. Specific details of these allegations have been ordered sealed by the judge, but prosecutors say that these two other children witnessed the alleged abuse.

Finnegan has been charged with sexual abuse and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He was arraigned and ordered held on $20,000 bail.

Finnegan taught in the district for 23 years, which is why police are worried there could be additional victims. They have asked anyone who believes that their child may have been victimized and anyone else with related information to contact the Special Victims Squat at (516) 573-4022 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.

laurence p banville esquire
Hi. My name is Laurence Banville.
I am licensed to practice law in New York and Washington, D.C. If you or a loved one needs legal assistance, I’d be happy to speak with you.
(888) 997-3792

Legal Recourse for Survivors of Sexual Abuse by School Employees

Attorney Laurence Banville helps sexual abuse survivors and their families find justice through civil lawsuits. Here are some of Laurence's thoughts regarding the legal options available to those who have been abused by teachers, coaches, and other school employees:

The safety of our students is just as important as the quality of their education. Our schools must do all in their power to ensure that their students are free from foreseeable dangers, including the threat of sexual predators. Sadly, schools and other fields that involve working with kids often attract these sexual predators. This is why it’s crucial for schools to take preventative measures to ensure that no one dangerous is permitted to work or volunteer at the school. Additionally, any suspected abuse by a school employee must be reported to law enforcement immediately.

In some cases of sexual abuse by school employees, the school district is partially to blame for enabling the abuse to occur through negligence. For example, a district might be considered negligent if they failed to run a background check before hiring a new employee who had a history of sexual abuse or for failing to report suspected sexual abuse to law enforcement.

If you or your child is a survivor of sexual abuse by a school employee, we understand how painful this time is for your family and we want to help you find justice. To learn more about your family’s legal options, consider contacting one of our experienced sexual assault survivors attorneys for a free consultation.

Got A Tip Or Questions 
About A Story?
Call Us!
The Legal Herald
888-997-3792
About the Author
Stephen Hayward
About Stephen Hayward
Editor: Stephen Hayward has been with LegalHerald.com for almost 5 years. Stephen has a masters in English from Harvard and has been writing in the legal space for the last 7 years. Stephen has covered a range of topics including following mass torts and sexual assault lawsuits. Contact Stephen: stephen@legalherald.com This article was fact checked prior to publishing by this author to ensure compliance with our rigorous editorial standards. We will only use authoritative sources. Our values compel us to provide only trustworthy information. If you find an error, please contact us.
Read some recent posts
Find A Local Lawyer

  • Details
  • Incident
Want To Contribute Breaking News? 
Contact Us Today
Legal Herald Logoinfo@legalherald.com
10355 Kensington Shore Dr. #102
Orlando, FL 32827
Call: (888) 997-3792
© 2020 The Legal Herald, a division of Eagle Peak Marketing, LLC. All rights reserved.

We would like our readers to know that the information in this story may be sourced from secondary sources and may therefore contain inaccuracies. We will correct them if and when they are brought to our attention or we discover them through our editing process. If you have any concerns about this post, please contact us immediately and we will rectify issues. DISCLAIMER: The material contained in this post is for general informational purposes. It is not intended to constitute or express legal or medical advice. Any laws referenced herein are substantially based on general legal principles and may not be applicable to your particular situation. Laws can often be different from one jurisdiction to the next. The Legal Herald is not a law firm. Law firms and lawyers from around the country may apply to become a sponsor or contributor to The Legal Herald.
SitemapMedia RoomDisclaimer / Terms Of Service & Privacy Policy