South Mississippi Math Teacher Accused of Molesting Children since 1973
By Robin Fitzgerald And Patrick Ochs
Longtime teacher Richard Pryor has admitted to FBI agents he began molesting children 41 years ago on out-of-state trips. A criminal complaint unsealed Thursday says the trips continued after Pryor began molesting children he taught in September 1973. The FBI arrested Pryor, 68, of Gulfport, Tuesday on suspicion of transporting minors with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The charge is punishable by 10 years to life in prison plus post-release supervision of five years to life. Pryor is held pending court hearings next week. Pryor resigned his job as a geometry teacher at St. Patrick Catholic High School earlier this week. School district officials have confirmed Pryor is known for organizing private trips that aren't associated with school functions. The complaint alleges the molestation began while Pryor was a math teacher at Bayou View Junior High, now known as Bayou View Middle School, and involved students ages 13 and 14. FBI agents interviewed two victims Monday and Tuesday and both said they were students at Bayou View Junior High when Pryor touched their private parts and fondled them while they were with him on trips, according to the complaint. News of his arrest drew outrage Thursday from many parents, including several who told the Sun Herald the ongoing trips were sightseeing excursions for boys and were "invitation only." Parents of two St. Patrick students said their sons were invited on a recent trip with Pryor. One mother said her boy went on the trip; the other said she didn't allow her son to go. The first alleged victim claims the sexual abuse occurred from 1973 to 1975 on trips to California, Montana, Colorado and Oregon. The second alleged victim claims the abuse occurred in 1999 and 2000 and at least five times on a trip to Louisiana. Pryor voluntarily recalled molesting other children on trips to Texas in 2004 and California in 2005, a child in 1996, another child on a trip to Georgia about 30 years ago and a different child in the 1980s, the complaint said. Pryor also was a student council adviser at St. Patrick. In 2008, the Mississippi State Association of Student Councils honored him for more than 25 years of service to the organization. Summer trips Catholic Diocese of Biloxi Superintendent Mike Ladner said Pryor has continued to organize trips while teaching at St. Patrick, adding to his knowledge Pryor never missed a summer trip. "These trips that he took these young men on over the last 30-something years were orchestrated by him, only by him and were non-school affiliated," Ladner said. "We had no idea who, where, when or what. These were all done by him, and the students had to coordinate with their parents." Ladner said Pryor also took part in co-ed school trips in the winter or for Mardi Gras. "And of course we had the appropriate chaperones," he said. The arrest The FBI interviewed Pryor on Tuesday at St. Patrick, escorted him off the campus and arrested him at his Gulfport apartment. Ladner said two agents came to the school about 11:30 a.m. while Pryor was teaching a class. Principal Renee McDaniel called him out of the classroom and took him to a conference room, where the agents interviewed him for about two hours. Later Tuesday, parents of Pryor's geometry students were sent an email advising a substitute teacher was taking over the class. Ladner said parents have since been told of Pryor's arrest and resignation. St. Patrick also held a student meeting, which Ladner said was emotional for some students. "We discussed all of that thoroughly today," Ladner said. "We talked about trust and who you can trust and to make sure you keep your guard up and those kinds of things. "We definitely tried to lay all of that out amongst those kids to try and prepare them for these kinds of things." Court hearing Pryor was shackled Thursday when federal marshals led him into court. Magistrate Judge John Gargiulo unsealed the case and appointed a public defender to represent him. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones said the government wants Pryor held pending prosecution. John Weber, an assistant federal public defender, asked Gargiulo to delay detention and preliminary hearings to allow him time to meet with Pryor about the allegations. Gargiulo set the hearings for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Pryor is being held at the Stone County jail. Several people who know Pryor, and Gulfport School District attorney John Harral, attended Thursday's hearing. They declined to comment after leaving the courtroom. Gulfport Schools Superintendent Glen East said Pryor retired from the school district as a math teacher in 2004. Ladner said Pryor taught at St. John High School for three years and then St. Patrick for seven. John Fitzhugh, Sun Herald photojournalist, contributed to this news report. []
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