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AP Wire | 08/25/2006 | Interpreter for deaf students sentenced for molesting
A former interpreter for deaf students was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of molesting a 13-year-old boy.
Chester Earl March, 63, of Hammond had earlier pleaded guilty to felony child molesting. In accordance with the plea agreement, a Lake Superior Court judge sentenced him Thursday to two years actual jail time and two years probation.
March worked at three Hammond schools as an interpreter for deaf students from August 1998 until earlier this year. Hammond Detective Sgt. Christopher Matonovich said the school district fired March after learning of the case.
They did not know March was convicted in 1980 in Michigan of a similar charge, Matonovich said.
"They took action immediately," Matonovich said.
March admitted putting his hands down the pants of the boy in January when the boy was in at March's home watching a football game on TV. Police received complaints in January 2005 that March was approaching children near his home.
But without knowledge of his background at the time, the allegations were not strong enough to open an investigation, Matonovich said.
A former interpreter for deaf students was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of molesting a 13-year-old boy.
Chester Earl March, 63, of Hammond had earlier pleaded guilty to felony child molesting. In accordance with the plea agreement, a Lake Superior Court judge sentenced him Thursday to two years actual jail time and two years probation.
March worked at three Hammond schools as an interpreter for deaf students from August 1998 until earlier this year. Hammond Detective Sgt. Christopher Matonovich said the school district fired March after learning of the case.
They did not know March was convicted in 1980 in Michigan of a similar charge, Matonovich said.
"They took action immediately," Matonovich said.
March admitted putting his hands down the pants of the boy in January when the boy was in at March's home watching a football game on TV. Police received complaints in January 2005 that March was approaching children near his home.
But without knowledge of his background at the time, the allegations were not strong enough to open an investigation, Matonovich said.