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Thomas Bernagozzi, age 75, of Babylon, was arrested on sex crimes charges in December 2023 after an investigation by Suffolk County Police found that he sexually abused two male students between the 1980s and early 2000s while teaching third grade in the Bay Shore School District.
At the time of the alleged abuse, the boys were third-grade students at Gardiner Manor Elementary School and Mary G. Clarkson Elementary School.
Bernagozzi taught at the schools between 1970 and 2000 but was employed by the Bay Shore Union Free School District until his retirement in 2003.
On Wednesday, June 19, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office revealed that a search of Bernagozzi’s home uncovered five images showing a third student with his genitals exposed.
The photos were taken inside Bernagozzi’s bedroom when the victim was around 8 years old, prosecutors said.
Bernagozzi was arraigned on five new counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child, a felony, in Suffolk County Court on Tuesday, June 18.
He was previously charged with one count of course of sexual conduct against a child and one count of sodomy, both felonies.
He is being held at the Suffolk County jail on a $2.5 million bond and faces between one and four years in prison if convicted of the new charges.
At least 45 individual civil lawsuits have been filed on behalf of victims against Bernagozzi and the school district for alleged misconduct over the years.
The civil suits were filed under the New York State Child Victims Act, which allows victims who were abused as children to file a civil action up until they’re 55 years old.
A temporary “look-back” window was created between August 2019 and August 2021, allowing victims who would not benefit from the new law to file their civil claims from years past.
It was during that window that the civil lawsuits against Bernagozzi and the school district were filed, prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, Bernagozzi – whose classes consisted mostly of boys – was “revered” by teachers, parents, and staff during his tenure.
He regularly ran school plays and after-school sports programs and would often take groups of children to local beaches, pools, gyms, and Broadway shows.
“The sheer magnitude of what this defendant is alleged to have committed is astounding,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney. “This defendant allegedly betrayed the trust of his students, their families, and the community.”
The Suffolk County Police Department is asking anyone with information in the case to contact the agency at 631-275-2302.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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