Thomas Sheppard pleads guilty to recording girls in locker room, resigns as gym teacher
Thomas Sheppard, a former Westhampton Beach Middle School gym teacher, leaves Riverhead Criminal Court after a court appearance. (Sept. 19, 2013) Credit: James Carbone
A former Westhampton Beach Middle School gym teacher admitted Wednesday to using a cellphone to secretly record video of female students in the locker room.
Thomas Sheppard, 28, of Speonk, pleaded guilty in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead and is expected to get five years of probation, give up his teacher's license and register as a sex offender, according to the terms of a plea deal agreed upon by Judge Barbara Kahn.
"He's quite remorseful for his actions and wanted to spare the community any further trauma by pleading guilty," Sheppard's attorney, Peter Brill of Hauppauge, said.
Sheppard is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 18.
The Westhampton Beach school board accepted his resignation Monday, effective the next day, and the state Education Department was notified, according to a statement from Michael R. Radday, Westhampton Beach superintendent.
Sheppard had been suspended with pay until the case was resolved With Andrew Smith
'It's definitely a destination' NewsdayTV's Doug Geed takes us "Out East," and shows us the Long Island Aquarium, a comfort food restaurant in Baiting Hollow, a Riverhead greenhouse and Albert Einstein's connections to the East End.
'It's definitely a destination' NewsdayTV's Doug Geed takes us "Out East," and shows us the Long Island Aquarium, a comfort food restaurant in Baiting Hollow, a Riverhead greenhouse and Albert Einstein's connections to the East End.
