POCOMOKE — A Worcester County Public School teacher has been charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse of a minor and sexual assault after an investigation into the alleged inappropriate touching of female students during school hours over a period of two years.
In June, the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) initiated an investigation into allegations aimed at one of the teachers at Pocomoke Middle School. It was reported the accused, identified as William Albert Cathell, Jr., 42, of Parksley, Va., who has been a Spanish and foreign language teacher with Worcester County Public Schools for 10 years, had sexually assaulted several female students during school hours. The victims were between 12 and 13 years old at the time of the alleged offenses.
WCBI investigators worked with the Worcester County Board of Education, and following interviews with students at the school, four victims were identified. Two of the victims were allegedly assaulted by Cathell on two separate occasions. A total of six separate incidents reportedly occurred on the school grounds over a two-year period.
As a result of the investigation, multiple charges were filed against Cathell including six counts of sexual abuse of a minor and six counts each of third-degree sex offense and second-degree sex offense. Cathell was arrested without incident and is being held in the Accomac County Detention Center as the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office works through extradition.
Worcester County Public Schools received a complaint on June 12 about Cathell’s alleged illicit activities, which led to his placement on administrative leave on June 16, while the WCBI conducted its investigation in conjunction with the Cricket Center.
Worcester County Public Schools on Thursday responded to Cathell’s arrest with a statement from Superintendent Jerry Wilson.
“The safety and well-being of our students is of vital importance,” it read. “We take any complaint of this nature very seriously, and as such, we have been in communication with law enforcement as they investigated these circumstances. Our focus at this point is to ensure a safe learning environment and that are students are provided any additional services that they may need such as counseling.”