ITHACA, N.Y. -- An Ithaca High School teacher is on administrative leave after being charged with sex crimes.
Darin Strong, 34, of Candor, is facing four criminal charges after allegedly having an online conversation that was sexual in nature with a Pennsylvania resident posing as a 13-year-old girl.
Strong was a physical education teacher and girls volleyball coach at Ithaca High School.
A school board member told us that Strong has been put on administrative leave. Board members say they can't comment on the situation because it's a personnel matter, though member Deborah O'Connor says, "There are procedures and policies when these things come to light and we are vigorous in following them."
An Ithaca High School teacher and coach has been charged with sex crimes. Our Allison Lazarz has more.
Now back in late June, a William Latchford from the group ProtectChildrenOnline.org, presented sexual web camera photos of Strong and a sexual online conversation to police in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, according to the affidavit. Latchford was posing as a minor.
Ithaca Police say that while there's nothing to indicate that anything like this has taken place in Tompkins County, they are still looking into that possibility.
"We are going to be looking into whether or not anything had occurred, inappropriate contact with the students he taught or anything else," said Christopher Townsend, Ithaca Police Lieutenant.
Strong was arrested by the Tioga County Sherriff’s Department at his home in Candor on a search warrant in early August. He was then extradited to Tyrone, Pennsylvania where he will face his charges.