COURT RECORDS: FORMER TEACHER, COACH ‘GROOMED’ SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM FOR YEARS
By Gregory J. Lamoureux,
County Courier
Newly released criminal court records connected to the arrest of 32-year-old Paul Ladd of Alburgh indicate that Ladd groomed the teen for years leading up to at least three assaults in 2019.
According to the criminal court affidavit obtained by the County Courier, the complaining witness told police that Ladd sexually assaulted her in his office, as well as the gymnasium closet. It also indicates that at least one other teacher in the school system thought that there may be something going on between the 18-year-old and Ladd, prior to the girl’s graduation.
The teen, who had yet to graduate when the assaults allegedly happened, told police that there was at least one instance where she tried to leave when Ladd was sexually assaulting her, but he prevented that from happening.
The victim’s mother said that a member of the school system spoke with her about the appearance of interactions between Ladd and the victim. Shortly thereafter Ladd was transferred to the Richford School, however, he was still allowed to continue coaching soccer and Track and Field in Enosburg, which provided him the continued opportunity to have contact with the victim.
The affidavit also indicates that the principal of Enosburg Falls High School at the time, Eric Remmers, spoke to Ladd about the possibility of misconduct.
“[The victim’s mom] said that neither she nor [the victim] was approached by the school when this occurred. According to [the victim], Ladd said that the Principal of the school at the time, Erik Remmers, just told him to watch out,” Detective Sergeant Mark Lauer wrote in a court-filed affidavit in the case.
SEE RELATED: Former Enosburg School Employee Arrested for Sexual Assault
Police became aware of the allegations against Ladd after a guidance counselor within the Enosburg School System filed a report with DCF. That report stemmed from Ladd’s alleged victim speaking with the guidance counselor about the incidents that occured in 2019.
“When we became aware that a former employee was accused of sexual assault, we immediately noticed DCF, law enforcement, and the Agency of Education. The District was not aware of the alleged misconduct before the recent report.” Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union Superintendent of School Lynn Cota wrote in a prepared statement for the County Courier, “We do not tolerate sexual misconduct from our employees. We are committed to a safe and respectful working and learning environment.”
According to Lauer’s affidavit, the victim documented what was happening to her daily in a journal, and was able to go back and pinpoint the exact day that the sexual assaults began.
The victim’s mother told police she confronted Ladd in the parking lot of the school, and told him that she knew what had happened between her daughter and Ladd.
“He started crying, rocking back and forth, saying I know… I don’t know why I did it. My anxiety is so bad, my depression is so bad…” the victim’s mother recalled to police.
The victim’s mother told police that her daughter began dating a boy her own age, but Ladd had made threats to her to get her to break up with that person.
At one point leading up to the assaults, and during the time the victim was a student at Enosburg, Ladd told her that she needed to send him photographs in provocative poses in order to “earn his trust back,” she told police.
Ladd had since left the Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union after obtaining a new position working with children at the Missisquoi Valley School District.
Superintendent of Schools at Missisquoi Valley School District, Julie Regimbal, where Ladd was most currently employed as a Special Education Teacher, said the district was unaware of any allegations prior to Ladd’s hiring, and the district goes through an extensive background check on all employees to ensure that this type of a person, if the allegations are true, are not hired within their school system.
Regimbal said that the district has put Ladd on administrative leave, and regardless of the outcome of the criminal investigation, the school would not allow Ladd back on school grounds until after their own lengthy investigation could be completed.
“There are no allegations of wrongdoing while an employee here,” Regimbal said of Ladd’s time at the Missisquoi Valley School District.
Regimbal said she was not aware of any allegations or a police investigation until police contacted her office on Friday to determine the whereabouts of Ladd in order to take him into custody. He was taken into custody during school hours on Friday at “The Connect” school, which is part of the Missisquoi Supervisory Union.
Ladd entered not guilty pleas Friday on four criminal counts. They are two felony charges of aggravated sexual assault, one count of felony sexual assault, and one count of unlawful restraint. The aggravated sexual assault charge carries a mandatory 10 years in prison, and up to life and none of that time could be suspended, or otherwise served outside a correctional center. The two sexual assault charges carry a mandatory 3 years to serve, with up to life. In all three of those charges, Ladd would also be required to file as a sex offender for the rest of his life. The charge of unlawful restraint carries a penalty of up to 15 years to serve, but does not have a minimum.
