SEAFORD, Del.- A former athletic trainer at Seaford High School has been indicted after allegedly having a relationship with a 17-year-old student.
The Delaware Department of Justice announced the charges Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors say 52-year-old Jerry Sodano is facing six felony child sex abuse charges after having an illegal relationship with the student.
Neither authorities nor the indictment revealed exactly how Sodano knew the student, but say Sodano had a "position of trust, authority, or supervision." Prosecutors allege Sodano and the teenage girl had sex multiple times between August 2016 and January 2017.
Prosecutors say Sodano is not actively working with students, and the Seaford School District has cooperated fully with the State’s investigation.
In a statement, the Seaford School District told WRDE it is "troubled gravely" by the "disturbing allegations."
"We are limited in terms of what we can say given that there is a present and open law enforcement investigation, but are firm and resolute in our conviction that the safety and well-being of students is a concern paramount to all other concerns. In the event any student is in need of counseling or other supports, our staff stands by to assist," the statement read.
The district says Sodano is on administrative leave without pay. Police say they fear there could be more victims.
"We are asking for the community’s assistance in our investigation and will continue to coordinate with Delaware State Police and the Seaford School District to ensure justice and student safety," Attorney General Kathy Jennings said in a release.
Sodano was given $78,000 cash bail, which was posted, and GPS monitoring. Anyone with knowledge of these allegations or knowledge of any other crimes is asked to contact Det. Lingo of Delaware State Police at (302) 752-3864.