Salem Gym Teacher Arrested for Encouraging Prostitution – NBC Boston

A Salem, Massachusetts teacher has been arrested on allegations of child exploitation.

Prosecutors say Darren Benedick, 42, of Salem, was arraigned Wednesday in Newburyport District Court on charges of child enticement and dissemination of material harmful to minors.

Benedick, who teaches physical education and health at Salem Academy Charter School, was arrested Wednesday during an undercover operation, according to the Essex County District Attorney's Office.

He is accused of arranging a meeting with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl but who was actually an undercover officer with the Newbury Police Department. The officer was monitoring a “teenager-only” chat room, prosecutors said.

“The defendant allegedly engaged in online conversations with the undercover officer, expressing a desire to meet in person and engage in sexual activity, sent him a lewd image, and described sexual acts he wanted to perform,” the prosecutor’s office said in a news release. “A meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, July 3, and the defendant was taken into custody upon arrival for the scheduled meeting.”

A judge set Benedick's bail at $5,000 with conditions requiring GPS monitoring, home confinement and no contact with children, prosecutors said.

Salem Academy Charter School said it placed Benedick on administrative leave immediately after learning of his arrest.

“We are in contact with law enforcement and will cooperate with the ongoing investigation,” Superintendent Stephanie Callahan said in a statement. “Authorities said they have not received any allegations that Salem Academy students were involved.”

It was not immediately clear whether Benedick had an attorney who could respond to the charges.