Married teachers who sexually abused teenage student and engaged in various sex acts for 2 years found guilty
Two teachers from Pennsylvania have been found guilty of sexually abusing a former student. The teachers, 30-year old Nicodemo Baggetta and his 30-year-old wife Ruth Ann Baggetta were convicted on Wednesday, June 19, by a jury in Lackawanna County.
The teen (unnamed), now aged 19, detailed out a two-year sexual relationship she claimed to have had with Nicodemo, according to a report by WNEP.
Lackawanna County Assistant Sara Varela said, "I believe the fact that both defendants took the stand and essentially corroborated everything that our victim had to say, that gave her even more credence to the jury."
"Where there's smoke, there's fire. What they did was inappropriate at all levels. They just didn't admit to the sexual misconduct, but the jury saw through that," Varela added.
According to an arrest affidavit acquired by the Scranton Times-Tribune, the former student also told investigators that Ruth consented to whatever sexual contact Nicodemo desired, so as to "get it out of his system". Ruth and the teen even performed a sex act on the husband, the affidavit stated.
District Attorney, Mark Powell termed the teachers as "predators" after the verdict. "It is clearly unacceptable and I think the jury found that," he said. The teen said that the sexual relationship ended in 2017, the same time when the Baggettas got married. The couple was arrested in March 2018.
Nicodemo is believed to have had inappropriate contact with the victim more than 20 times, according to ABC 27 of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
The arrest came about when a former Lakeland High School student told the therapist that she had been intimate with Nicodemo, who at the time was working as a special education teacher at Fell Charter School in Simpson. According to the New York Post, the wife remains on unpaid suspension as the band director at Lakeland High School.
The teen also testified to engaging in specific sexual acts with Nicodemo. The duo previously admitted that they had allowed the then-sophomore to spend nights at their home where they tried to help the teen deal with family issues. They were led out of the courtroom in handcuffs after the judge revoked their bail.
The couple's defense attorney, Paul Walker, was not pleased with the results of the trial. According to Fox 56, he said: "I always respect jurors and their decision, but we were upset with the verdict." He also said that they intended to appeal their conviction on charges of endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of a minor, institutional sexual assault and furnishing alcohol to a minor. Ruth was also convicted after failing to report suspected child abuse.
Nicodemo and Ruth each face up to seven years in prison, while state sentencing guidelines recommend prison terms varying from three to 12 months. The Baggettas plan on appealing the decision.