A former Plainfield teacher and coach who is accused of having inappropriate relationships with students and former students has been arrested and is due in court on Wednesday.
Craig McCue, 31, of North Stonington, was arrested Tuesday. According to police, the investigation began in May when a concerned parent reported finding inappropriate text messages on their child's phone. Investigators said the text messages included inappropriate photos and messages about getting the child marijuana.
At the time, McCue was teaching eighth-grade social studies at Plainfield Central School, according to police. Investigators said McCue was having inappropriate relationships with several victims under the age of 16, who were all either students, former students, or players he had coached.
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Plainfield Public Schools said when they learned of the investigation, they immediately placed McCue on leave and he eventually resigned. McCue worked for the district from August 2018 until his resignation on May 21, 2021. He also coached basketball at the middle school in 2020.
"Clearly, any allegation of inappropriate contact with minors is disturbing and causes concerns about the safety of the children in our school community," district officials wrote. "Plainfield community members should be reassured that the safety of children is the district's foremost concern."
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Anyone with concerns is encouraged to contact the superintendent's office, or report concerns to the Plainfield Police Department or the state Department of Children and Families.
McCue is charged with two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault and seven counts of risk of injury to a minor. He is being held on a $200,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
McCue was Stonington Public Schools substitute teacher from January 2017 through June 2018. Before that, he was a student teacher for Stonington, according to Stonington Public School officials.
McCue also worked for North Stonington Public Schools and was the assistant coach of the boys’ high school basketball team from Aug. 26, 2015 to Jan. 20, 2021, according to school officials.
North Stonington Public Schools officials said they notified the school community about a situation regarding a coach who previously worked in the district and was arrested on suspicion of inappropriate conduct while the coach was teaching in another district.
North Stonington Supt. Peter Nero wrote that they were made aware in January of an inappropriate incident involving an athletic coach and the alleged incident occurred outside the school day, off school property and was not during a sanctioned school activity.
The coach was immediately terminated, the state Department of Children and Families was notified as were parents, and the school department has cooperated with police, DCF and the state Department of Education, Nero wrote.
School officials had no other comment because the investigation is ongoing.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about McCue is asked to call the Plainfield Police Department at 860-564-0804.
