February 19, 2016
Source/Delaware County District Attorney's Office
Gregory Stanczuk, 52, of West Chester, was a longtime teacher and track coach at Ridley High School in Delaware County.
A Delaware County high school teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a female student, authorities said Friday.
Gregory A. Stanczuk, 52, of West Chester, a longtime physics teacher and track-and-field coach at Ridley High School, was arrested and charged with institutional sexual assault for his alleged relationship with an 18-year-old student at the school, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan announced.
“As a teacher and coach, Gregory Stanczuk flagrantly used his position of trust and authority to exploit the victim, manipulating her emotionally for his own sexual gratification,” Whelan said in a statement. "He crossed the line between teacher and student and committed a crime by engaging in sexual behavior with his student."
Stanczuk's arrest followed an investigation by Sgt. Robin F. Clark of the district attorney's office's Child Abuse Unit, who received information about an alleged sexual assault of a former Ridley student by Stanczuk.
The district attorney gave the following account:
The victim told investigators that she was on the track-and-field team for four years, and Stanczak was one of her teachers in freshman year. Student and teacher established a close relationship during her senior year, after she and her boyfriend broke up, she told authorities. In an emotionally vulnerable state due to the break-up, she alleged that she confided in Stanczuk.
The coach often drove students home after practice, dropping the victim off last, and alone they would talk about her break-up and he would try and comfort her with a hug, the victim told authorities. That led to texting each other.
On one occasion in spring 2014, they stopped at Ridley Creek State Park after driving around talking. Stanczuk pulled her in and kissed her, the student alleged. After that, they stopped talking as the victim became upset. Stanczuk apologized and allegedly said, “If you don’t want me to do that, we don’t have to.”
Later, they would drive around together and Stanczak would allegedly hold her hand and tell her that she made him feel young. Often, the coach would joke around and say, “Do you want to stop here? Do you want to stop at this hotel?” the victim told investigators. She would say no, but he would pretend to turn into the parking lot, telling the victim he was persistent and wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted, and that “freaked her out.”
One night, Stanczuk allegedly asked the victim – via text at about 2 a.m. – to go to a hotel. After debating it, she agreed and he picked her up in his car. Alone in the room, they sat on the bed, talked and then started kissing, getting undressed so they were both completely naked, the victim told detectives. He allegedly performed oral sex on the victim, and then wanted to have sex with her. She did not perform oral sex on him, the victim said. The victim then became upset and stated, “You have a wife and kids.” She told detectives that he was then unable to maintain an erection because she made him feel bad. She said he should feel bad because it was wrong. At that point, she got dressed and told him she wanted to go home.
In June 2014, during a national track meet in Greensboro, North Carolina, several girls on the team were hanging out in Stanczuk’s hotel room, investigators said. Stanczuk allegedly told her he was jealous of her new boyfriend and didn’t get to see her as often. After the other girls returned to their room, the victim drank 3 or 4 beers brought by Stanczuk, and felt “pretty tipsy.” Stanczuk told her to sit on the bed and then he started moving in closer to her, the victim alleged. When the victim asked what he was doing, saying she had a boyfriend, Stanczak replied, “So what, he doesn’t have to know,” investigators said. The victim said she became very upset and went back to her room crying.
Afterwards, Stanczak allegedly told the victim it was the stupidest thing he had ever done and the biggest mistake he ever made. They did not communicate after that incident, other than when Stanczuk texted the victim on her birthday and she thanked him for the clothing he sent to her as a present.
If parents believe their child has been victimized they should contact Clark at 610-891-4118.
