A Ward Melville High School science teacher has been arrested and charged with sexually abusing a female student, police said.
Special Victims Section detectives arrested Stephen Malusa, 47, after an investigation revealed that he had abused the female student in May 2013, police said.
Malusa, of Selden, was charged with third degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. He was arraigned Tuesday in First District Court in Central Islip and is being held on $45,000 bond or $15,000 cash bail.
In a statement posted on the Three Village School District website, Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich said the district was "notified of an allegation" against Malusa and immediately contacted police.
"The district is disturbed by these allegations," Pedisich said. "The teacher will not be providing any instructional services in the district, effective immediately, pending the outcome of the legal process. The teacher was permanently cleared through the state’s fingerprint background check, and, to the best of the district’s knowledge, has no criminal record.
Malusa has been employed in the Three Village district since September 2002.
Police said the investigation is continuing and they are asking anyone with information to call the Special Victims Section at 631-852-6531 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
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