Hudson Valley Man Convicted of Rape Continued to Work at Local School

Despite being convicted of raping a minor, a Hudson Valley man continued to work at a local school.

Samuel Campbell, 53, of Poughkeepsie was arrested for raping a minor in Poughkeepsie last year, he was convicted last month.

However, the Poughkeepsie man continued to work his regular day shift as a custodian at an Ossining Elementary school, according to the Ossining superintendent.

In a letter to parents, the Ossining superintendent said that they found out Campbell worked his regular day shift at Brookside Elementary School during legal proceedings. Adding, Dutchess County officials kept them in the dark, but had they known, the district would have suspended him earlier.

The Town of Poughkeepsie Police Deparment issued a response on Thursday.

New York State Education Law (section 3004-b[1]) and the Commissioner’s Regulations (8NYCRR section 87.6), commonly referred to as SAVE Legislation, requires the New York State Education Department’s Office of School Personnel Review and Accountability (OSPRA)to notify a school district of a school employee’s arrest when they receive such information from the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). This information is triggered at DCJS by a fingerprint match, upon arrest and booking of a subject, and has been a requirement since July 2001.

 

According to the State Education Department, those hired prior to this date are not required to be fingerprinted, except under certain circumstances, however the legislation does not prohibit a school district from requiring all employees to be fingerprinted.

 

It is our understanding at this time that this subject has been employed by the Ossining School District since 1998 and has not been fingerprinted by the District. Had the defendant been fingerprinted by the school district, the arrest itself would have triggered the notification.

Cambell knew the victim, who was not a student at the Ossining School District, police say.

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