Hauppauge music teacher indicted for allegedly sexually abusing a 16-year-old student

Suffolk County police have arrested a Hauppauge High School teacher for allegedly sexually abusing a teenage boy at the teacher’s home in Moriches. 

An 18-year-old male reported to detectives that when he was a 16-year-old student at Hauppauge High School, located at 500 Lincoln Blvd., he was sexually abused by his chorus teacher, Mark Kimes, at the teacher’s home. Following an investigation, 7th Squad detectives determined Kimes had inappropriate contact with the teen while serving as his teacher. 

Kimes original lawyer, James Symancyk, was unable to comment, since he was no longer representing Kimes.  The district attorney’s office was unable to provide updated information on Kimes defense attorney.

Kimes, 53, of Long Tree Lane, Moriches, was arrested at his home at approximately 6:45 p.m. on Aug. 13 and charged him with criminal sex act first degree and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He was held overnight at the 7th Precinct.

Kimes was arraigned Aug. 14 at 1st District Court in Central Islip and was held on $55,000 cash bail or $105,000 bond. The judge ordered a stay away order of protection for the victim. Kimes was due back in court Aug. 19.

He is still employed by the Hauppauge school district, but has been reassigned and is prohibited from being on school-district grounds and from interacting with students. Parents were notified, via a letter from Superintendent of Schools Dennis O’Hara, of news regarding the alleged actions of a school employee just prior to the story breaking. 

“When we learned a faculty member had been arrested by the Suffolk County Police Department, we immediately reassigned him to remain at home and directed him not to appear on district property,” O’Hara said in an email. “Although school is not currently in session, we did not want the individual to be on school grounds while athletes or other students may be present for summer activities.”

O’Hara said that the district will closely monitor this matter and continue to cooperate with the police in their i