A Queens school community was jolted Friday when a Department of Education employee was arrested after police said he forcibly touched multiple students on campus earlier this month. The case grew out of complaints from several students and has pushed the DOE to roll out extra support at the school.
Arrest And Charges
Following an investigation by the NYPD’s Queens Adult Sex Crimes Squad, 36-year-old Department of Education employee Vamshi Guduru was taken into custody on March 13 and hit with a slate of charges. Law enforcement sources say the complaints include four counts of forcible touching, five counts of sexual abuse, and five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, according to the New York Daily News.
DOE Response
The Department of Education moved quickly to distance students from the staffer while the case winds its way through the courts. In a statement to the New York Daily News, DOE spokeswoman Isla Gething said, "The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority. The alleged behavior is deeply disturbing and completely unacceptable."
The DOE told the paper the employee had been reassigned away from students and that additional support would be made available to the school community while the case is pending. An arraignment in Queens Criminal Court was still in the works as of Friday.
Possible School Listing
Public records may shed light on where the accused staffer worked, though officials have not publicly confirmed his assignment. A staff directory for John Bowne High School lists a "Vamshi Krishna Guduru" with a city schools email address and phone number, according to the John Bowne High School staff directory. The listing indicates a city-schools employee with that name, but authorities have not released further details about his role.
How To Report Tips
Hoping to determine whether other students may have been affected, the NYPD released the suspect's mugshot and urged anyone with additional information to step forward. Tipsters can reach Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS, according to the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline.
Charges And Next Steps
For now, the accusations remain just that. The complaints are allegations that must be proven in court, and the criminal case is set to proceed through arraignment and pretrial hearings at Queens Criminal Court. The DOE has said it will move to terminate the staffer if the allegations are substantiated and will continue providing support to students and families as the investigation and legal process continue.
