Local

DA's investigation into Plum teachers accused of having sex with students expanding

A day after a special meeting of the Plum Borough School District School Board to accept the resignation of one of its members, Channel 11’s Alan Jennings learned that investigators from the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office were back in Plum Thursday, interviewing new witnesses in an expanding investigation into teachers accused of having sex with students. 
Jennings reported that investigators spent hours in Plum interviewing the new witnesses.

PLUM, Pa. — FREE APPS | NOW | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Two high school teachers, 40-year-old Joseph Ruggieri, of New Kensington, and 38-year-old Jason Cooper, of Verona, are each accused of having had an improper sexual relationship with a female student. Another teacher, 40-year-old Drew Zoldak, is accused of having intimidated one of the victims.

Jennings also learned that Mark Kost, the high school’s resource officer who retired Wednesday, is challenging the school board and school district on comments they’ve made that he knew about the allegations now in the forefront.

Phil Dilucente, Kost’s attorney, told Jennings that he wants the school board to produce evidence that indicates his client ever knew about the allegations. Dilucente said that when Kost knew about things, he reported it, adding that Kost has a clean record and had no reason to withhold any information.

During Wednesday’s meeting, which was called to formally accept the resignation of Joseph Tommarello, board member Michelle Stepnick accused Tommarello of having “inappropriate conduct” with students.

“Hey, I hear rumors all the time - actually have stuff to give you guys that there were rumors that were actually verified with me, given to me by parents: tweets, inappropriate tweets, Facebook posts and messages and photos of Mr. Tommarello with high school students,” she said.

On Thursday, Tommarello told Jennings that Stepnick’s allegations are insane, and that he’s looking into filing a libel suit against the school board.

"I'm not going to stoop to their petty games and their name calling and the blame games, but it's a shame they’re embarrassing Plum like this with their accusations,” he said.

Tommarello said he was resigning over what he called a “major difference of opinions” between himself and the school district over the handling of sex allegations against Ruggieri and Cooper.

In his resignation letter, Tommarello also claimed he warned administrators nearly three years ago about a possible inappropriate relationship between Ruggieri and a student. He said he therefore lacks the "full confidence" in the district's leadership, headed by school board president Sal Colella.

Solicitor Lee Price said Tommarello’s notice to administrators in 2012 was “not new information - it was a rumor that had already been investigated.”

RELATED CONTENT:

WPXI

Most Read