Ex-Bay Shore teacher Thomas Bernagozzi to be sentenced for sexually abusing students

Thomas Bernagozzi, a former educator convicted of sexually abusing multiple students in a 30-year career teaching children in Bay Shore elementary schools, will be sentenced to prison Wednesday.

Bernagozzi, 77, faces up to 54 years in state prison when he is sentenced by acting state Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis at 2:15 p.m. in Riverhead.

The retired third-grade teacher was convicted by a Suffolk jury in February of sodomy, sexual conduct against a child and three counts of possession of a sexual performance by a child for allegations involving three different Bay Shore students.

Prosecutors alleged at trial that Bernagozzi took advantage of the "blind trust" of parents when he abused students for his own sexual gratification. A popular teacher in the district's elementary schools from 1970 to 2000, Bernagozzi created extracurricular programs to form "twisted and manipulative" relationships with young boys, Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney MacDonald Drane told the jury during opening arguments.

The sports and theater programs placed the students alone with the teacher, who Drane said created a "ruse" to change their clothes and apply talcum powder to their bodies, which he touched with his hands and mouth to "fulfill his sexual desires."

One former student told the jury he was sexually abused by Bernagozzi starting in 1989 at the age of 4 when he would accompany his older brother on outings with the educator. Another student alleged he was abused during his third and fourth grade school years a decade later.

The men said the abuse occurred at the school or when they were showered and changed by Bernagozzi on outings to a local fitness club, beaches or public pools. The witnesses testified that Bernagozzi would apply baby powder to their private areas.

A third victim, who was not called to testify, was depicted posing with his private parts exposed in a succession of images taken by Bernagozzi, leading to the child sexual abuse image charges.

The photographs, among thousands of images of children shown to the jury, were found inside Bernagozzi’s home when it was searched by Suffolk police following his arrest in December 2023.

Defense attorney Steven Politi, of Central Islip, had defended the images at trial as clean fun and sought to portray the witnesses as untrustworthy and motivated by the prospect of money damages. Politi filed a motion last month to set aside the verdict, which the judge has not yet ruled on.

Police and prosecutors opened an investigation into Bernagozzi following the filing of Child Victims Act claims against the Bay Shore school district by 45 former students who alleged the teacher sexually abused them and the district was negligent in keeping him employed despite reports of abuse.

Despite the large volume of claims, which have cost the district more than $75 million in legal settlements, prosecutors have said only the abuse endured by the students in the indictment could be charged under state law.

Abuse testimony at trial was limited to only the victims named in the indictment, though Wilutis later permitted testimony of the brother of one of the victims after ruling the defense opened the door to additional testimony during closing arguments.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney called Bernagozzi "one of the most prolific serial pedophiles of our time" following his conviction. Tierney said the teacher was "hiding in plain sight" for 50 years "under the guise of a trusted teacher and mentor."

"Three brave men came forward to testify about the abuse that they endured at the hands of Bernagozzi during their formative years, and the impact that the abuse has had on them for their entire lives," Tierney said in his Feb. 13 statement. "I applaud these men for their courage and strength in coming forward to face their abuser after all these years to ensure that justice, though delayed, was not denied."

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.