EDWARDSVILLE - The Madison County State's Attorney's Office announced today a Granite City High School teacher - John S. Manoogian - has entered a guilty plea to misdemeanor charges of criminal sexual abuse and battery and has been sentenced.
Manoogian, 61, was indicted in March 2021 on counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and battery. Manoogian was a long-time director of a Granite City performing arts program. Granite City Police started the probe of the teacher.
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The State's Attorney's Office said the incidents occurred between August 2019 and February 2020 and involved seven students between ages of 14 and 16.
As part of the plea agreement, Manoogian was sentenced to 18 months probation and was forced to surrender his teaching license. He entered a guilty plea to two counts of criminal sexual abuse and five counts of battery. Madison County Regional Superintendent of Schools Robert Werden has already begun the process of notifying the Illinois State Board of Education’s licensure division.
Brian Brueggemann, the Madison County State's Attorney's Office spokesperson and communications director, provided this statement to Riverbender.com: "The consensus among the victims was that they wanted to avoid a trial. We didn’t want to re-traumatize the victims by having them testify at a trial.
"There is no guaranteed outcome with a trial. And even had we taken the case to trial and obtained a conviction, probation would have been a sentencing option for the court.
"This conviction requires the defendant to register as a sex offender, which was important to the victims. It’s important to note that registration as a sex offender ensures that the defendant will never again be licensed to teach."
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