A Queens rabbi has been accused of sexually abusing a young boy at a religious school four years ago. The abuse took place between November 2009 and May 2010 at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County in West Hempstead. At the time Gary Lieberman, 56, of Rockaway, was a teacher at the school.
School officials learned of the abuse earlier this year and Lieberman was arrested Thursday.
“There was an allegation regarding an incident which allegedly occurred years ago which was recently brought to our attention regarding a teacher that has not worked at the school for several years,” the Academy said in a statement.“The school was proactive in reporting the allegation to the police and we are continuing to cooperate with their investigation.”
The Hebrew Academy student was 10-years-old when the abuse began. The suspect allegedly took the child to the resource room on the school’s second floor so they could be alone. Other abuse was also said to have taken place in the bathroom. According to Nassau County police, Lieberman told the young boy nobody would believe him if he told anyone because he was a rabbi. The rabbi was fired from his job at the Hebrew Academy in August 2010 but he may have taught at other private religious schools.
Lieberman is being charged with two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. He will be arraigned October 18th in the First District Court in Hempstead. Nassau detectives are worried there could be more victims. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Special Victims Squad at 516-573-4022.
[Source: Nassau County Police Department, CBS]
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