Ex-Bay Shore Elementary Teacher Convicted In Child Sex Abuse Case: DA

BAY SHORE, NY — A former Bay Shore elementary school teacher was found guilty in a child sex abuse trial, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Thomas Bernagozzi, 77, a retired third-grade teacher who worked in the Bay Shore Union Free School District for decades before retiring in 2003, faced multiple indictments tied to the sexual abuse of former students dating back to the late 1980s and early 2000s, prosecutors said. Authorities said the abuse involved students at Gardiner Manor Elementary School and Mary G. Clarkson Elementary School.

Bernagozzi was found guilty of 5 of 7 charges — including sodomy, course of sexual conduct against a child, and three counts of sexual performance by a child — all felonies, the DA said. He faces up to 25 years in prison on the top counts.

Prosecutors previously said some incidents could not be criminally charged because they fell outside New York’s statute of limitations.

According to prior Patch reporting and statements from the district attorney’s office, Bernagozzi was a well-known figure in the district who ran school plays, coached after-school sports and organized outings for students that included trips to local beaches, gyms and Broadway shows. Prosecutors said those roles gave him extensive access to students over many years.

In a statement following the verdict, Tierney said the conviction marked the first time Bernagozzi was held criminally accountable despite earlier civil findings against the school district.

“For 50 years, one of the most prolific serial pedophiles of our time was hiding in plain sight under the guise of a trusted teacher and mentor,” Tierney said. “Today represents the first time that Bernagozzi himself has been held accountable for his heinous actions.”

Tierney also credited three former students who testified during the trial, calling them “brave men” who ensured that “justice, though delayed, was not denied.”

Bernagozzi was arrested in December 2023 and later faced additional 2024 indictments related to possession of sexual performance by a child, prosecutors previously said.

Dozens of civil lawsuits were filed against both Bernagozzi and the Bay Shore school district under the New York State Child Victims Act. At least one lawsuit was settled in 2024, according to prior reports.

He was represented by Eric Besso and Samuel Demeglio, who did not immediately respond to Patch for comment following the verdict. Sentencing is expected at a later court date.