UPDATE Teacher accused of molesting boys had no negative personnel reports

By Robin Fitzgerald And Lauren Walck
Sun Herald
August 26, 2014

http://www.sunherald.com/2014/08/26/5764617_fbi-pryor-accused-of-molesting.html?rh=1

Pryor

GULFPORT -- Longtime teacher Richard Pryor's personnel file from the Gulfport School District contains no complaints about him or letters of reprimand during the 32 years in which he allegedly molested boys he took on trips, an FBI agent said.

But Pryor, 68, did not seem surprised when FBI agents showed up at St. Patrick Catholic High School on Aug. 19 to question him about the allegations, Special Agent Matthew Campbell testified in court Tuesday.

"He seemed to almost be relieved that we had shown up when we did," Campbell said. "He indicated it was not fair to the boys."

After his arrest, Pryor told agents they could find his computer hidden under the chest of drawers in the bedroom of his Gulfport apartment.

"He told us there were things on the computer that shouldn't be there," Campbell said.

The FBI also seized form letters Pryor used to invite boys on trips and a handwritten personal invitation to one of them, Campbell said.

Pryor faces a charge of transportation of minors with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The charge is punishable by 10 years to life in prison.

Authorities believe Pryor targeted boys ages 12 to 14 and used the trips, with up to 30 boys attending, as a cover.

Pryor was shackled and sat quietly in court Tuesday.

He was denied bond pending a grand jury review.

Allegedly began in 1973

No one has explained how, after all these years, two men came forward to report Pryor had molested them on trips when they were his students at Bayou View Junior High School, where he taught math from 1973 until his retirement from public schools in 2005. Campbell said three more have come forward to report abuse since Pryor's arrest was made public.

Pryor then became a teacher through the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, and taught at St. John High three years before becoming an algebra and geometry teacher at St. Patrick in 2007.

According to a criminal complaint, the first victim said the molestation began in September 1973 and continued through 1975. The second said Pryor molested him in 1999 and 2000.

FBI agents questioned Pryor about two boys and he admitted he had molested them and six others during that time frame, Campbell said. One is now in his 50s, he said, and another is in his 20s. At least two allegedly were molested as recently as 2005.

Most of the incidents occurred during out-of-state summer trips that were not school-related, some were during winter trips and at least one was in Gulfport, Campbell said.

Agents notified officials at St. Patrick of the allegations and Pryor wrote a letter of resignation from his jail cell.

The FBI has now questioned a third victim, Campbell said, and will be interviewing others as the investigation continues. The FBI also will have a forensics team study the contents of Pryor's computer.

Several women in the packed courtroom cried quietly during the hearing.

'No safe alternative'

Assistant Public Defender John Weber said none of the allegations involve recent sexual activity with children. He asked Magistrate Judge John Gargiulo to allow Pryor to await court action by living at the home of his sister, a retired school teacher.

Pryor's mother testified she and her husband each have a computer but said she would take responsibility for keeping Pryor away from computers and would have no problem reporting him if he violated any condition of his release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones argued there are no conditions of release to protect the community and the alleged victims from Pryor.

"He has been out in the community 41 years and no one knew about these allegations," Jones said. "There is no safe alternative."

Gargiulo ordered Pryor to remain jailed, citing the nature of the crimes, ages of the alleged victims, the weight of the evidence and the potential danger to others.