Former Southington teacher gets 8 years

Judge has harsh words for convicted sexual offender

SOUTHINGTON -- A former technology teacher and athletic director at Southington Local Schools received eight years in prison after being convicted of felony charges connected to an inappropriate relationship with a former student that happened more than a decade-and-a-half ago.

As he pronounced the consecutive sentences on Thursday, Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Ronald J. Rice had some harsh words for Craig N. Lefkowitz.

"You have thrown away your education, your career as a teacher and destroyed your reputation forever," Rice told the defendant. "You did all this to gratify your own perverse sexual needs."

Lefkowitz, 51, of Beal Street NW, Warren, on Sept. 30 pleaded guilty to four counts sexual battery and one count compelling prostitution.

Rice mentioned defense attorney John Juhasz had asked for leniency as well as the people who wrote 12 character letters in support of Lefkowitz.

"In your character letters," Rice said, "not one word is mentioned about the victim's life that you ruined."

Rice then went on to question if any of those 12 letter writers had known of the following facts about the defendant, including that he:

• Had served alcohol to underage students and allowed them to have parties at his home;

• Developed a "big brother relationship" with a minor so he could manipulate him;

• Showed pornography to a minor, whom he sexually assaulted on numerous occasions;

• Paid the victim money for the lewd acts and took nude pictures of him, which he kept in a notebook. He also took the victim on a road trip and got him drunk;

• Tried to bribe the victim not to tell authorities about the assaults when the investigation began.

Both Rice and Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Gabe Wildman said the victim, who is now 33, has struggled with mental issues, drug and alcohol addiction and a broken marriage.

"You sullied the most sacred trust a teacher can have," Rice said. "You are now a registered sex offender, will never teach again and you are losing your freedom. You are the reason our society has laws for registered sex offenders."

Lefkowitz, prior to sentencing, had little to say, other than he was sorry for his actions.

Lefkowitz, who resigned his positions with the school district, was labeled a Tier 3 sex offender, which means he will have to register his address with the local sheriff's office four times per year for the rest of his life.

Wildman, who had asked for prison time in his memo to the judge, was pleased with the sentence.

"Judge Rice was correct to take Mr. Lefkowitz off the streets," Wildman said. "Anyone in a position of trust must be held to a higher standard. He was supposed to protect kids and he did the opposite."

Lefkowitz, who has been licensed to teach since 1996, had been employed by the Southington Local Schools for 21 years.

The Southington Board of Education on June 24 accepted Lefkowitz's resignation as the district's athletic director, computer teacher, junior high volleyball coach and Spirit Club adviser.

The guilty pleas and sentence averted a jury trial that had been scheduled for Monday in Rice's courtroom.