Boston Middle School Dean Charged With Raping 15-Year-Old Former Student Several Times

The dean of students at a middle school in Boston, Massachusetts has been charged with raping a former student.

The incident came to light when the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office received a tip-off that 38-year-old Manuel Mendes, the dean of students at the James P. Timilty Middle School, had been in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old former student.

The victim has told the investigators that the accused had assaulted her multiple times over the course of several months. "The victim took part in a forensic interview last month and disclosed multiple assaults by Mr. Mendes beginning in February 2020 and continuing until the summer. Digital evidence, including text messages, related to the allegations were recovered during the course of the investigation," the district attorney’s office said, Mass Live reported.

Following an investigation, the accused was taken into custody Friday. He appeared in court Monday and was charged with four counts of aggravated rape of a child under the age of 16.

Condemning the incident, Suffolk County D.A. Rachael Rollins said in a statement, "This is the ultimate betrayal of a child’s trust. As an educator and school official, Mr. Mendes had a duty to provide a safe and supportive environment for this young person to learn and grow. Instead, he allegedly used his position of trust and authority to prey on the victim."

"I would like to encourage parents in the Timilty community and everywhere to talk to your children. Make sure they know that they can talk to you about things that make them uncomfortable or scared. If they raise any issues that cause concern, families in Suffolk County should reach out to my office or our partners in law enforcement or at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County. There are resources and services available to children and parents," Rollins added.

Boston Public Schools also released a statement saying, "On Friday, Dec. 11, we were informed of the arrest of a staff member on deeply troubling charges. The staff member was immediately placed on paid administrative leave. We will continue to cooperate with the Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in their active investigation of these horrific allegations every step of the way."

The accused’s bail has been set at $35,000 and in case he posts the bail, he has been ordered to not have any contact with the victim and witnesses in the case and also with any past or present students of the school. The judge has also prohibited him from having unsupervised contact with any child under age 16. He is expected to appear in court again in January.