ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – Two brothers have come forward accusing a former Elmira City School District technology teacher of sexually abusing them in the 1990s and 2000s.
According to a lawsuit filed in January 2021, Douglas Stadelmaier allegedly sexually abused the two male victims while they were students at Ernie Davis Middle School both on school property and at Stadelmaier’s home.
The lawsuit alleges negligence by the Elmira City School District and assault, battery, sexual abuse, intentional infliction of emotional distress by Stadelmaier.
According to the New York State Department of Education, Stadelmaier’s Technology Education Provisional Certificate and Technology Education CQ were issued on Sept. 1, 1997, and expired on Aug. 31, 2002. A Technology Education Permanent Certificate was surrendered on Sept. 1, 2002.
Chemung County Sheriff Bill Schrom confirmed with 18 News that Stadelmaier is currently a Corrections Officer at the Chemung County Jail after graduating from the police academy in 2017. Schrom says the allegations made against Stadelmaier were investigated and no charges were filed.
The lawsuit also claims Stadelmaier served as a volunteer firefighter for the Pine City Fire Department and would allegedly use his position to groom at least one of the victims who was interested in becoming a firefighter.
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS GRAPHIC INFORMATION REGARDING ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULTS
John Doe 1
The lawsuit alleges Stadelmaier met John Doe 1 in a seventh grade technology class where Stadelmaier allegedly “attempted to befriend Plaintiff and started his campaign to groom him.”
Stadelmaier allegedly began providing the victim free Mountain Dew drinks, inviting him to “hang out” in his classroom, and talk to him in between classes.
The lawsuit states that while in the classroom Stadelmaier would allegedly and “accidentally brush up against John Doe 1 and at times Stadelmaier’s hand would slightly graze the front of John Doe 1’s pants and sometimes grazed John Doe 1’s penis.”
The lawsuit continues to allege that Stadelmaier would complement John Doe 1’s “nice body” and note his athletic achievements. Upon learning John Doe 1 was interested in four-wheelers, Stadelmaier would invite him over to his home with parental permission to ride them and to plow snow in the winter.
On occasion, Stadelmaier would allegedly provide John Doe 1 a “road beer” and take him to his home on Pennsylvania Ave to show pornography. While inside Stadelmaier’s home John Doe 1 was told to watch Stadelmaier “masturbate in front of John Doe 1” and was instructed to masturbate as well.
Over the course of two winters, Stadelmaier allegedly forced John Doe 1 to his bedroom to perform oral sex on the victim. Stadelmaier allegedly “would instruct John Doe 1 to touch him,” which he refused.
When Stadelmaier learned John Doe 1 was interested in becoming a firefighter, Stadelmaier allegedly told him they needed to hang out because he was well known.
Stadelmaier is also accused of purchasing alcohol for John Doe 1 and his friends.
The lawsuit alleges that the Elmira City School District knew of the alleged abuse and “provided him with unsupervised and unfettered access to children.”
John Doe 2
John Doe 2, the brother of John Doe 1, first met Stadelmaier in sixth grade when his locker was adjacent to Stadelmaier’s classroom. John Doe 2 knew Stadelmaier as a younger teacher and that “a lot of kids hung around him.” He also knew his brother would hang out with Stadelmaier and that they were “friends.”
Stadelmaier, at times, would allegedly invite John Doe 2 into his classroom during lunch and give him passes to be excused from class to hang out. When John Doe 2 entered seventh and eighth grade he was assigned to Stadelmaier’s class where Stadelmaier allegedly pinched on the shoulder with “extreme force” and picked him up off the ground with bear hugs.
Stadelmaier is also accused of inviting John Doe 2 into his classroom, locking the door, and chasing him trying to touch him, “often grazing John Doe 2’s waist and thighs in close proximity to his genitals.”
Court documents accuse Stadelmaier of allegedly sending sexually explicit IM messages to John Doe 2 and inviting him to ride his four-wheeler. Stadelmaier allegedly forced John Doe 2 to drive the vehicle while he sat behind him, allegedly grabbing his shoulders and masturbating.
The court documents say John Doe 2 told Stadelmaier to take him home after the four-wheeler incident, which Stadelmaier refused. Inside Stadelmaier’s home John Doe 2 was allegedly forced to watch pornography and watch Stadelmaier masturbate.
When Stadelmaier took John Doe 2 home he allegedly reached over and grabbed the boys genitals, according to the court documents.
Both victims are seeking compensatory damages in an amount to be provided at trial as well as costs and legal fees.
Hillary Nappi, who is representing both victims, released a statement to 18 News on Wednesday afternoon.
“John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 have waited a long time to be able to come forward and are grateful that the Child Victims Act allowed them this opportunity. As survivors of childhood sexual abuse, they have lived in shame for too long. They are looking forward to having their voices heard and the opportunity to pursue long awaited justice.”
Hillary Nappi, Associate
Hach Rose Schirripa & Cheverie LLP
18 News has reached out to the Elmira City School District which says they are unable to comment at this time.
. According to court documents, the district’s attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss, which will be heard virtually on January 20, 2022, before Judge Patrick MacRae of the New York Supreme Court 5th Judicial District. The victim’s attorneys filed a response saying the motion lacks merit.
18 News reached out to Stadelmaier through a phone number associated with his address but has not heard back at this time. It’s not clear if Stadelmaier has an attorney representing him in the case.
