Crime & Safety

Gym Teacher Pleads Guilty to Filming Students

Sheppard will be sentenced on Dec. 18.

Thomas Sheppard, a four-year Westhampton Beach gym teacher, who was charged in March for allegedly recording students in a gym locker room at Westhampton Beach Middle School with his cell phone, pleaded guilty to all charges against him in court on Wednesday. 

Sheppard, 28, of Speonk, who has been suspended without pay since he was arrested, entered the guilty pleas for charges including second-degree unlawful surveillance, a felony, and seven counts of endangering the welfare of a child, all misdemeanor counts. 

Sheppard's initial arrest came after several students reported to school officials that their gym teacher had placed his cell phone in the Westhampton Beach Middle School's girls' locker room and recorded them while they were changing. 

The school district contacted the Westhampton Beach Police and an investigation was launched with the help of New York State Police.

Sheppard was indicted by a grand jury in April after his arrest. He pleaded not guilty and was released on a $25,000 bond.  

According to the Suffolk County DA's office, Sheppard is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 18 and is expected to receive five years probation for the felony count and three years for each misdemeanor count. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

District Attorney Thomas Spota, who called Sheppard's actions "an appalling betrayal" of the teenagers said he will also be recommending to the court that rather than probation, Sheppard be jailed for the maximum one and one-third to four years.


 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.