Ex-Bethel teacher due in court on sex assault charges

Nelson Oliveira

A former Bethel elementary school teacher charged with sexually assaulting three children is scheduled to return to state Superior Courton Tuesday.

Brian Joseph Stroh, 30, of New Fairfield, was arrested March 9 on felony charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor. The victims, all boys, were 6, 9, and 11 years old.

Two offense dates are listed on the state Department of Justice’s website. Two of the three counts on each charge are dated Feb. 15, 2015, while the other count dates to May 1, 2009.

Little information has been shared with the public and the arrest warrant remains sealed, but officials have indicated that no crime occurred on school grounds. The Bethel Police Department was never involved in the investigation.

The former Berry Elementary School first-grade teacher was placed on leave Feb. 19 after Connecticut State Police told district officials he was under investigation for inappropriate contact with minors. Stroh then resigned from his position.

Stroh remains in custody on a $250,000 bond. He’s expected to enter a plea Tuesday.

His attorney, Kevin Chamberlin, has declined to discuss the case.

“This office is not making any comment about the representation of Mr. Stroh,” he said Friday.

At Stroh’s arraignment March 10, Chamberlin said his client was undergoing psychiatric treatment.

Following his resignation, Stroh stayed in the hospital for 11 days recovering from what police said was an apparent suicide attempt. Police in Bedford, N.Y., said he drank diesel fuel and crashed his car in a commuter parking lot in Katonah, N.Y. He then had to be extricated from the wreck by firefighters.

Stroh has been banned from contacting the victims and their parents. He also cannot have unsupervised contact with minors.

Source: newstimes