Ossining Schools Unaware Custodian Faced Sex Abuse Charges

OSSINING, NY — Ossining school district officials are seething over the fact that no one from Dutchess County informed them that one of their custodians had been arrested for sex abuse.

Samuel Campbell was arrested in April 2016, accused of sexual abuse of a minor. He was arraigned in February. He was convicted, sentenced, and went to jail May 1.

Campbell never told the district he had been charged, according to Ossining school district Superintendent Ray Sanchez. And, Sanchez said, police and prosecutors knew he worked in a school.

Had they been notified, he would have been suspended. He was fired after the district learned of the conviction.

Campbell had worked in the district since 1998. He was a custodian at Brookside School. Sanchez said there have been no complaints from staff, parents or students about him.

Here's the superintendent's letter to the community:

Dear Parents/Guardians and Colleagues,

Last week I was made aware of a serious matter regarding one of our custodial staff members at Brookside. I want to share what we learned and the actions we have taken as a result of this information.

On May 1, 2017, Mr. Samuel Campbell, a longtime member of our custodial staff who currently works on the day shift at Brookside, was remanded to prison after being convicted of criminal counts stemming from the sexual abuse of a victim who is less than 17.

The crime occurred in Poughkeepsie, where Mr. Campbell resides, and the victim is known to him. He was first arrested in April 2016, but the formal arraignment that led to his conviction did not occur until February, 2017.

According to police records, Mr. Campbell had no prior criminal history.

Mr. Campbell never told the district that he had been arrested, charged, and tried. Additionally, Mr. Campbell’s employment with the District predated fingerprinting laws and therefore the District never received notification of his initial arrest. Throughout the period from April 2016 to his conviction on May 1, 2017, he missed no significant time at work.

At no time did any level of law enforcement in Dutchess County contact the Ossining School District to inform us of this serious matter, even though they were aware that Mr. Campbell worked in a school.

Had we been notified of his arrest, Mr. Campbell’s employment would have been suspended until the legal process was completed, and he would have been directed to stay away from visiting Brookside or any other school in the district. Upon notification, the District immediately commenced action to terminate Mr. Campbell’s employment.

I intend to strongly register the concerns of the Ossining school community with all involved law enforcement parties in Dutchess County for their failure to act.

The health and safety of our students truly is the first priority of our district, and we will always act swiftly to safeguard their interests. Please know that no one has raised any concerns related to Mr. Campbell and district students.

If you have any questions or concerns about this matter, please feel free to contact my office at your convenience.

Sincerely yours,

Raymond Sanchez

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