BANGOR, Maine — The John Bapst Memorial High School teacher who solicited nude photographs of a 16-year-old female student also stole an undisclosed amount of money from the student senate group for which he was an adviser, according to the head of school.
Officials at the private high school held their second assembly in as many days Tuesday as teachers, staff and students continue to cope with difficult emotions surrounding the death and alleged crimes of Jeremiah Gorman.
Head of School Mel MacKay told students that any victims of Gorman’s actions or anyone with information should come forward, and that “we are focused on providing help.” He sent that statement along to parents in a Tuesday email.
MacKay also told the students that Gorman stole an undisclosed amount of money from the student senate. Gorman was faculty adviser to that group.
Gorman, who taught social science at the school, was being investigated by local police for sexual exploitation of a minor because of the photos he solicited from the student, according to the affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for his home and school office.
Gorman, 35, was found dead Saturday at a local hotel of apparent suicide, according to the email MacKay sent to parents over the weekend.
Gorman allegedly used more than 25 screen names on at least two different social media apps to communicate with the victim, the affidavit said. In several of the screenshots included in the document, Gorman was seeking out younger women.
The school has removed Gorman’s personal items from the school and taken his name off the door to Room 203, which had been his classroom, according to MacKay.
“How could someone who was admired also have been the person we are reading about?” MacKay said. “Several students said to me yesterday that Mr. Gorman was a good teacher, was kind to them and gave good advice. But we now know that to others he was untrustworthy, and he was guilty of online crimes that could have put him in jail for many years.”
Bangor police Sgt. Tim Cotton said investigators are still examining computers and digital media gathered during the course of their searches. Police are also investigating the missing student senate funds.
“The Bangor Police Department is actively involved in following up on leads and information in regard to the recently discovered theft of funds from the student senate of John Bapst Memorial High School,” Cotton said in a Tuesday afternoon news release. “We will continue to work with school officials to bring closure to this issue.”
MacKay commended his staff and students for helping each other amid the ongoing investigation. The school brought in counselors and a therapy dog on Monday to work with students who wanted to talk. Counseling services are still available and MacKay has said there is no planned “end date.”
“You did a great job yesterday in seeking help and giving help,” MacKay said. “I really appreciate what I saw at John Bapst yesterday.”
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter at @nmccrea213.