A 69-year-old substitute cafeteria worker for the Lakeland Central School District was arraigned in Yorktown Town Court this week on felony charges of promoting and possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child, after investigators say he uploaded and stored digital files depicting elementary-aged girls, some possibly as young as 5. Francis John Teeling was arrested by Yorktown police on August 11 and is being held on $10,000 cash bail, a $25,000 bond, or a $50,000 partially secured bond while his case moves through the courts.
According to the New York Post, authorities say Teeling uploaded a digital file depicting female children ages 7 to 10 engaging in a sexual act, and separately stored a file depicting a child between 5 and 8 years old engaged in sexual conduct in Shrub Oak. The Westchester County District Attorney's Office reported that Teeling allegedly uploaded and stored child sexual abuse material involving female elementary-aged children, and investigators say some of the images possibly depict children as young as 5. Teeling has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on September 22.
Lakeland Central School District Superintendent Dr. Karen Gagliardi said Teeling was employed by the district specifically as an “itinerant substitute Food Service employee” and worked solely in that capacity, according to The Somers Record. He worked at Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School in Yorktown Heights, a school that serves roughly 1,219 students in grades 6 through 8, per Niche. Law enforcement and school officials confirmed that the alleged offenses involving the digital files did not occur on school grounds, addressing an immediate concern for parents in the district.
District Learned of Allegations Just Days Ago
Gagliardi said the district learned of the allegations on August 12 and is cooperating fully with law enforcement while taking all appropriate steps to protect student safety, the same outlet reported. The timeline shows school administrators were notified only after Teeling's arrest and arraignment had already taken place.
Teeling's arraignment was held before Town Justice Gary J. Raniolo, according to the Yonkers Times. The prosecution is being led by Michael Delohery, chief of the Westchester County District Attorney's Cyber Crimes Bureau, as reported by The Katonah-Lewisboro Times. Following his arraignment, Teeling remained in law enforcement custody on bail ahead of his scheduled September 22 court appearance, per Daily Voice.
How the Case Came to Light
The digital file was reportedly uploaded to Microsoft Bing, which triggered a referral from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to investigators. The Yonkers Times explains that CyberTipline referrals to the organization are generated automatically when internet service providers or online platforms detect suspected child exploitation material being transmitted or stored on their systems. That referral brought together the Westchester DA's High Technology Crime Squad and the New York State Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which conducted the investigation, according to the same report.
The Westchester DA's office declined to provide additional information beyond what has already been released, per the Post. It remains unresolved whether forensic examination of Teeling's digital storage devices could reveal additional material or victims.
Felony Charges Carry Mandatory Registration
Under New York Penal Law § 263.10, promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child is classified as a Class D felony, according to the New York State Senate. The Post reports the felony charges Teeling faces carry sentences of up to 11 years in prison. Convictions under this section of New York Penal Law also carry mandatory sex offender registration under the state's Sex Offender Registration Act, per Stengel Law.
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace urged parents to stay vigilant and monitor their children's social media and internet activity, and advised them to ensure their children understand the dangers of sharing explicit images online with people they do not know, according to the Post. “Those who possess or share child sexual abuse material should be under no illusion that their depraved conduct is hidden from law enforcement,” Cacace said. The Yorktown Police Department did not immediately respond to the Post's request for comment.
Teeling has pleaded not guilty, and the charges against him remain allegations pending further judicial proceedings. His case is scheduled to return to court on September 22.
