Southern Tier Teacher Arrested for Inappropriate Relationship with Student

Members of the Chenango County Sheriff's Office report that they have arrested Richard M. Karl Jr. of Johnson City, a 56-year-old teacher at Greene High School, following an investigation into allegations of child endangerment and official misconduct.

The arrest comes after a report was filed with the Sheriff's Office regarding a teacher having an inappropriate relationship with a student. The allegations involve incidents that occurred throughout 2024 and 2025.

Details of the Alleged Crimes

Sheriff’s detectives investigated the claims and found evidence that Karl subjected one or more students to physical contact that was deemed damaging to the physical, mental, and moral welfare of the child. As a result, Karl faces charges of Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Official Misconduct, both of which are Class A misdemeanors.

Arrest and Processing

On April 14, 2025, the Chenango County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Broome County Sheriff's Office, located Karl and executed a warrant for his arrest. Detectives had notified the Broome County Sheriff's Office Warrant Division of the active arrest warrant, and on the morning of April 14, Karl was found and arrested in Broome County.

Karl was subsequently turned over to Chenango County Sheriff's Detectives and transported to the Chenango County Sheriff's Office, where he was processed on the charges. He was then transferred to the Chenango County Corrections Division to await Centralized Arraignment Program (C.A.P.) proceedings.

Ongoing Investigation

While Karl has been arrested and charged, the investigation is still ongoing. Law enforcement officials have indicated that additional charges may be filed as more details emerge from the ongoing inquiry. The Sheriff’s Office has urged anyone with further information to come forward as the investigation continues.

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Charges

Richard M. Karl Jr. is facing the following charges:

• Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Class A misdemeanor)
• Official Misconduct (Class A misdemeanor)

All crimes mentioned are allegations. The accused, Richard M. Karl Jr., is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.