Warrant: Former teacher accused in sex assault faced earlier investigation

PLAINFIELD — A former Plainfield teacher accused of sexually assaulting his former students had been previously investigated at a school for inappropriate behavior, according to his arrest warrant.

North Stonington resident Craig McCue, 31 was charged Oct. 12 with two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault and seven counts of risk of injury to a minor. Plainfield police said the incidents involved three former students, now ages 15 and 16, while he was an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Plainfield Central School.

McCue appeared Wednesday in state Superior Court in Danielson where a judge reduced his bond from $200,000 to $99,999, according to court records.

The judge also voiced concern about McCue’s alleged “groomingtype behavior.” McCue was told to not communicate and stay away from his alleged victims and the Plainfield Central School, according to the Norwich Bulletin.

McCue’s lawyer could not be immediately reached for comment.

Plainfield Superintendent Paul Brenton said McCue was initially placed on administrative leave in January when the state notified the district of their investigation. He was reinstated in late February upon Plainfield administrators being notified that the state had closed its investigation.

McCue was then placed on administrative leave a second time when the state and the Plainfield Police Department investigated separate charges in May.

He later resigned on May 21, three days after being suspended, and hasn’t been an employee of the district this school year, Brenton said.

“Clearly, any allegation of inappropriate contact with minors is disturbing and causes concerns about the safety of the children in our school community,” Brenton said. “Plainfield community members should be reassured that the safety of children is the district’s foremost concern. The Plainfield Board of Education has adopted robust policies and procedures to promote the safety and well-being of all our children.”

Benton said all Plainfield Public Schools employees have comprehensive background checks, including criminal records, Department of Children and Families Child Abuse and Neglect Registry checks and references, as well as drug screenings.

McCue has been accused of inappropriate conduct with students, resulting in his termination as a basketball coach at Wheeler High School in North Stonington, according to his arrest warrant.

A state Department of Children and Families investigation into the Wheeler High School incident revealed that McCue and four players, ages 14 to 15, were on their way back from a basketball game when they stopped at a gas station to buy snacks and drinks. Juveniles told investigators that McCue purchased condoms for them and later talked to them about having sex with girls, according to the arrest warrant.

The warrant does not say when the incident happened, but McCue’s LinkedIn page states he was a Wheeler coach from 2015 to 2021. The North Stonington superintendent could not be reached for comment.

McCue was hired at Plainfield Central School where he was employed for about three years. McCue was the victims’ eighth-grade teacher at some point during that time frame, according to the arrest warrant.

He started talking to the teens, three former students now ages 15 to 16, about working out during the pandemic and later took them to the gym, the warrant stated. He also gave the teens a marijuana cookie and brownie, along with a nugget of marijuana flower, the arrest warrant said.

One of the boys’ parents became suspicious when they administered a drug test to their son that turned up positive for marijuana, according to the warrant.

In January, the parents of the three boys met with McCue, concerned about the relationship a 30-year-old man was having with teenagers and former students, the warrant stated. At the meeting, McCue admitted to providing marijuana to the teenagers, the arrest warrant states.

The 16-year-old boy’s parents later found a bottle of vodka in the teen’s closet, the warrant stated. The parents looked through their son’s phone, finding messages between McCue and the teen saying they loved each other, according to the arrest warrant.

The 16-year-old boy’s step-father reported the incident to police and officials began investigating the incident in May 2021.

McCue told officers he started communicating with the teens because he liked to stay in touch with former students over the summer, the warrant stated. The teen later asked McCue for advice on working out, according to the arrest warrant.

The arrest warrant shows the text messages spanned from July 15, 2020 to April 4, 2021.

McCue told officers in an interview, “I’m not a pedophile,” the arrest warrant said.

On May 17, the victim let police search his phone where officers found messages from McCue calling the former students “cuties” and told the 16 year old, who sent a shirtless picture to McCue, “That’s kinda hot,” according to the arrest warrant.

The next day, officers found “a large quantity” of photos of shirtless teenage boys flexing and working out on McCue’s phone, the arrest warrant states.

One teenager told police that McCue was “very touchy” and touched his thigh while in the car, the warrant stated. Police said two boys told them McCue would also get “handsy,” grabbing the boys thighs and slap their butts, according to the arrest warrant.

In January, McCue sent one of the teens a picture of his own genitals, claiming he was high, according to the arrest warrant.

A victim, who was 14 at the time of the incident, told police he was alone with McCue returning from the gym when McCue stopped at a gas station. The former teacher asked the teenager to show him his genitals, and showed the teen his own, the arrest warrant stated.

The teenager also told investigators that McCue asked to touch him, but the teenager said: “I said ‘no.’ I didn’t want him to touch it, didn’t want him to look at it, didn’t want him to think of it, so I just said, ‘Can we go back home?’” according to the arrest warrant.

The now 15-year-old boy told officers McCue grabbed the teen’s genitals in the car a few times, and also at a gas station, the warrant stated. The teenager also told investigators the former teacher once kissed him on the neck, according to the arrest warrant.

McCue is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 1 in Danielson, court records state.

Those who have suffered from sexual assault can speak to specialists for support, information, advice or a referral by calling the free and confidential National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673). Those who wish to chat online with trained specialists, which is also free and confidential, can also go to www.RAINN.org/Get-Help. Help is available 24/7.

Plainfield Police Department Craig McCue, 31, of North Stonington, was a teacher and coach at Plainfield Central School.