Darren Benedick is seen in Essex County Superior Court in Salem, Massachusetts, on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.
A gym teacher in Salem, Massachusetts, arrested last month on allegations of child exploitation pleaded not guilty to a grand jury indictment Friday.
Darren Benedick was arraigned on child exploitation charges in Essex County Superior Court.
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Benedick was charged with several felonies, including enticement of a child under 16 and possession of child pornography, the Essex District Attorney's Office said.
The 42-year-old Benedick, who taught physical education and health at Salem Academy Charter School, was arrested on July 3 in a sting operation, according to authorities.
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He's accused of making plans to meet someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl but was actually an undercover officer with the Newbury Police Department. The officer was monitoring a "teens-only" chat room, prosecutors said.
"Authorities have no allegations that students at the school were subject to the defendant’s alleged misconduct," said the district attorney's office.
Benedick was previously arraigned in Newburyport District Court on July 3, where a judge set his bail at $5,000 with conditions requiring GPS monitoring, home confinement and no contact with children.
A Superior Court judge on Friday kept those same conditions. No new details surrounding the case weren't released.
Benedick is due back in court on Oct. 3.
