Thomas Weir, JFK teacher, indicted on theft and money laundering charges | Paterson Times Paterson Times

Thomas Weir, JFK teacher, indicted on theft and money laundering charges

By P.T.
Published: September 18, 2013

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A John F. Kennedy High School teacher, who was arrested in February for soliciting sex from a male student through Facebook, was indicted on various charges – including two new charges of theft and money laundering — earlier today, announced the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.

Thomas Weir, 51, of New York, was arrested again today for theft and money laundering. While employed at Stone N’Counters, a Haledon based company, Weir, working as a bookkeeper diverted company funds to pay his own credit card. “Weir used his position as a bookkeeper to take money from his employer’s business account disguised as legitimate business expenses, when in fact, Weir was using the funds to pay off his personal credit cards,” according to the office.

The office says, the former teacher stole some $200,000 from the company, since he began his scheme in 2008. The fraudulent plan lasted five years: it started in “January 2008 until March of 2013, which resulted in a theft of $200,000.” Weir was employed at the company on a part-time basis.

For the two new charges Weir is on bail for $250,000.

Weir was arrested a second time in March, when authorities found out that he was engaging in similar behavior with three other students. “Weir was re-arrested in March 2013 for engaging in similar behavior with three of Mr. Weir’s former 7th grade students who ranged in age between 13 and 17,” reads a statement from the office.

After investigating deeper into the high school teacher, authorities found a 37-year-old, who claimed, when he was a student of Weir at the age of 10 or so, the teacher molested him. A written statement from the office reads, “During the course of the investigation, another victim, now age 37, came forward who reported that Mr. Weir sexually assaulted him when he was between the ages of 10 and 16 while Mr. Weir would visit his home in Hawthorne, New Jersey.”

Weir has been indicted on charges of Aggravated Sexual Assault, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Luring or Enticing a Child; Official Misconduct, and Promoting Prostitution. If convicted on all of these charges – some include more than one count – Weir could face more than 100 years in prison.

Weir has since been suspended from the Paterson School District.


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