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By DAVID WEISS dweiss@leader.net
Thursday, March 13, 2003 Page: 3A
WILKES-BARRE – Former Wyoming Valley West industrial arts teacher Roy
Nathans pleaded guilty Wednesday to touching a student after telling her how
he fantasized about her.
Nathans, 51, of Lawton in Susquehanna County, entered the plea on charges
of indecent assault and harassment. He is expected to be sentenced to
probation.
Police said Nathans on March 22 followed an 18-year-old female student into
a school darkroom to smoke cigarettes. There, he told her he fantasized about
her, then kissed her lips, neck and ear before rubbing her breast, police
said.
After the student pulled away, Nathans told her she should “really
consider making an old guy happy,” according to police.
School officials suspended Nathans without pay in April. Nathans has since
resigned from his position, said Nathan’s attorney, Marc Neff.
After the plea, Neff said the plea was Nathans way of accepting
responsibility for the actions during the technical drawing class at the
Plymouth school. Neff said he evaluated all options in deciding to plead
guilty.
“Quite frankly, the defendant wanted to put this behind him and accept
responsibility,” Neff said.
Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Ingrid Cronin said prosecutors
made no sentence agreement with Nathans. The conviction does not call for
Nathans to undergo a Megan’s Law evaluation.
Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Hugh Mundy, who ordered Nathans
to have no contact with the victim, will sentence Nathans in May.
David Weiss, a Times Leader staff writer, can be reached at 831-7397.