(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
(Bay Shore, NY) — A retired Long Island elementary school teacher is accused of sexually abusing students dating back to the 1980s. Seventy-five year old Thomas Bernagozzi plead not guilty Thursday to charges of sexual abuse. His arrest comes two decades after he retired as a teacher in the Bayshore school district. 43 former students have come forward to say Bernagozzi sexually abused them. Some of the accusations go back to the late 1980s, others say the abuse took place in the early 2000s.
Prosecutors asked for one-million-dollars bail, but the judge opted for supervised release. Police are asking for other potential victims to come forward. The school district says it does not comment on pending litigation. Some students say they complained to the school about the abuse years ago, but Bernagozzi was still kept on the job.
