HOCKESSIN, DELAWARE (11/17/2015) A Newark man has been charged with raping a 13-year-old student at H.B. du Pont Middle School multiple times while he was choir director there, Delaware State Police said this afternoon.
Gary F. Smith, 43, was charged with 27 counts of third-degree rape, continuous sexual abuse of a child, sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust and sexual solicitation of a child under 18.
Smith was being held at Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington in lieu of $815,000 cash bond.
Police said they began investigating in September after Delaware Crime Stoppers received information about the rape of a student at the school, located at 753 Meeting House Road.
Smith began the relationship with the girl in April of 2010 and it lasted until August of 2012, police said.
Offenses were committed on the grounds of the school, which is in the Red Clay Consolidated School District, police said.
Smith was arrested this morning at his home.
While a police news release described Smith as former choir director, a statement posted on the Red Clay website by Superintendent Mervin Daugherty said Smith had been placed on administrative leave pending more information.
“Allegations of this nature are obviously deeply disturbing to all of us here at Red Clay, and if true, will not be tolerated in any form,” Daugherty said.
The statement said school officials had cooperated with the investigation, and a crisis team of psychologists and counselors would be available at the middle school to talk with students.
The district will hold a meeting on how to speak with children regarding sexual abuse on Nov. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at John Dickinson High School, 1801 Milltown Road. Those in attendance will include Deputy Attorney General Patricia Dailey Lewis, head of the Family Division in the Attorney General’s Office, and state police.
Police asked anyone who believes they have additional information regarding Smith to call the Major Crimes Unit at 302-365-8567.
Tips also may be submitted anonymously through Delaware Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards, at 800-847-3333 or www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com.