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Ex-Greeley Teacher Gets Highest Sex Offender Status After Abuse Plea

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. - The former Chappaqua Central School District drama teacher has been given the highest degree of sexual offender status after sexually abusing several students.

Christopher Schraufnagel walks out of New Castle Justice Court in Chappaqua following his appearance on July 14, 2016.

Christopher Schraufnagel walks out of New Castle Justice Court in Chappaqua following his appearance on July 14, 2016.

Photo Credit: Tom Auchterlonie

Former Greeley High School teacher Christopher Schraufnagel has been assigned a Level 3 sex offender status, according to Attorney David Engelsher, which means he is a “high risk of repeat offense, and a threat to public safety exists”

Englesher represents four Horace Greeley High School families of the children who were assaulted.

"My clients and I were relieved to learn that New Castle Town Court Judge Douglas M. Kraus assigned a Level 3 designation to Horace Greeley High School teacher and admitted sexual predator, Christopher Schraufnagel," he said in a statement. "A Level 3 designation means that the sex offender poses a high risk of a repeated offense and a threat to public safety. In addition, Level 3 sex offenders are required to be registered for life.

"We have been saying all along that the Chappaqua Central School District never wanted to acknowledge that a dangerous sexual predator was in their midst. The judge’s ruling confirms what we have known all along."

Schraufnagel served as a drama teacher at Horace Greeley from 2003 until his resignation in 2015. He was accused of having sexual contact with three high school students over a four-year span and several others have come forward since.

Criminal allegations against Schraufnagel include acts of oral sex with a 15-year-old student and unspecified sexual contact and conversations with another. He was also accused of asking a student to kiss a group of classmates for a photo slideshow. Several other students came forward with civil lawsuits after the initial claims against the former educator.

The civil accusers have been represented by Engelsher, an attorney who also lives in the school district. In his filings, Engelsher outlined a series of sordid allegations against Schraufnagel, including fondling of students; and involving students in events such as "Sick Secret Santa." In the case of the events, Schraufnagel is accused of exposing the students to human feces placed in a cup, pubic hair baked into cake and sperm placed in a bottle.

Allegations against Schraufnagel came to light in June 2015 and he resigned the following September. Schraufnagel was levied with criminal sex-abuse charged in October that year.

In a statement earlier this year, Schaufnagel apologized to his victims and the Chappaqua community during an appearance in New Castle Town Court, expressing his “continual” remorse for his victims. In his statement, he said, as an adult, he should have known better than to cross the line with students.

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