A former administrator at Northeast High School denied that he had sex with a 17-year-old girl student, but a Common Pleas Court jury saw differently on June 6, convicting the disgraced disciplinarian of child-abuse charges.
Mark Preston Williams, 58, remains free on $50,000 bail pending his Sept. 12 sentencing. The jury convicted him of unlawful contact with a minor, institutional sexual assault, child endangerment and corrupting a minor following a three-day trial.
The crimes occurred in January 2013 when school was out of session for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Williams took the girl out for a meal, then to his home in Exton, Chester County, where the assault took place, prosecutors said. Williams reportedly acknowledged that he met the girl and took her to his home, but denied that they had sex. Weeks later, the girl’s parent learned of the incident and reported it to police.
While the case remained under investigation, the School District of Philadelphia removed Williams from Northeast High and placed him in a job outside of a school setting. After police obtained a warrant for his arrest, Williams surrendered on March 12, 2013. He was later suspended from his job pending the outcome of court proceedings.
Williams was not accused of abusing other students.
Although prosecutors introduced no DNA evidence, the victim testified during the trial. Williams had no prior criminal record. ••
