A school committee member in Haverhill stands accused of sexually assaulting a teenager, as per court documents from Haverhill District Court. Cheryl Ferguson, who reportedly took office on the school committee in 2023, was arraigned on charges of indecent assault and battery on a person aged 14 or over, following an incident that occurred on the eve of Halloween.
According to a police report, the incident transpired outside a 7-Eleven store on Dudley Street. Reportedly wearing a Halloween mask, the teenage victim was allegedly groped by Ferguson from behind. Despite the teen's request for her to desist, she approached again and allegedly touched his chest, as detailed in the police report obtained by CBS News Boston.
Adding to the narrative, Boston 25 News reports that Ferguson allegedly made a comment about the boy's nipples during the second encounter, “Oh you have nipples.” The teen reportedly told Ferguson to walk away, to which Ferguson replied by calling him a "creep."
Following the incident, Ferguson was taken into custody after the boy recounted the events to his mother, who recognized Ferguson from the neighborhood. Ferguson's defense described the assault as a misunderstanding, explaining that she merely poked the boy's chest saying, "You're scary," after playing Keno at the 7-Eleven. The Vice Chairman of the school committee, Paul Magliocchetti, expressed concern over Ferguson's interaction with minors and indicated that they would seek legal counsel on the matter, "It involves a situation with a minor, we do have to be concerned with her presence around minors and that's something that I'm sure we will address with legal counsel," Magliocchetti told CBS News Boston.
Upon her arraignment, Ferguson was released on personal recognizance and mandated to avoid contact with individuals under 18 and the alleged victim. Additionally, a judge imposed a curfew upon her from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. and ordered the wearing of a GPS tracking device. While Ferguson's next court appearance is scheduled for December, her history with the law includes previous charges for domestic violence, drunk driving, and driving without a license, as per information from CBS News Boston. This story is ongoing, and further updates will be provided as the case develops.
