Student charged for offensive locker room touching

LAWRENCE » An offense that was initially reported as a sex offense at Notre Dame High School has resulted in harassment charges.

A male student was charged with two counts of harassment for an incident that occurred Jan. 11 in a school locker room, authorities said this week.

A 15-year-old male student was the victim of offensive touching and bullying by the student in the locker room during gym class, Lt. Joseph Amodio said this week.

“Based on everything that had taken place, prosecutors said to just do a juvenile harassment, disorderly persons offense,” Amodio said.

A spokeswoman for Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that juvenile petitions were signed on Jan. 26, charging the offender with two counts of harassment.

“Those charges are pending in Juvenile Court,” spokeswoman Casey DeBlasio said in an email. “I cannot provide you with any additional details regarding the offense.”

Prosecutors did not reveal the offender’s name because the student was a juvenile.

Prosecutors also provided a copy of the harassment statute, which states an offense occurs when the offender subjects another to “striking, kicking, shoving, and other offensive touching.”

A message left Wednesday with Notre Dame President Barry Breen’s office was not returned.