NEW HAVEN -- A New Haven professor is facing criminal charges after police said he sent inappropriate messages to a student.
On May 4, New Haven police charged James O’Toole, a teacher at Gateway Community College, with harassment in the second degree after numerous complaints from one of his 18-year-old female math students.
On November 10, 2016, police began an investigation after receiving a complaint from a student who said she was receiving sexually explicit messages since September of 2016. The victim told police she didn’t know who was sending the messages but thought it could have been a classmate at GCC.
Police said they will not reveal the identity of the victim.
Jody Goeler, Superintendent of Hamden Schools, issued the following statement:
"Hamden Public Schools Math Director, James O’Toole, was placed on administrative leave without prejudice on May 3, 2017 pending an outcome of an investigation by the human resources department. The investigation does not include any Hamden public school students or staff."