11/04/08 - Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)
On Monday, Chad Stoffel a former music and math teacher at Summit Christian School in West Palm Beach, Florida in a plea deal with prosecutors pleaded guilty, “in his best interest”, to a felony charge of lewd and lascivious molestation in exchange for a term of five years probation, including the first two years on sex-offender probation. Within minutes, Stoffel’s guilty plea was tossed out as the plea deal fell apart.
Stoffel came to the attention of authorities when he allegedly told a counselor at a religious retreat in Memphis that he had molested several boys in South Florida, including a 14-15 year old at Summit Christian School and a 16-year-old at Wellington Christian School.
It is also alleged that Stoffel also reported himself to the Florida Abuse Hotline and that when interviewed by a police detective in 2006 that Stoffel confessed to the allegations. It has been reported that investigators have a tape of Stoffel admitting the molestations in a call to an abuse hot line.
Stoffel, charged with the molestation of the two boys, resigned from the school in 2005. He had been a teacher there for five years at the time of his resignation.
Under yesterday’s failed plea deal, prosecutors would have dropped several felony counts. This in part because the then 16-year-old second victim was uncooperative. The then 14-15-year old victim and his mother were reportedly supportive of the the plea deal, which ultimately failed.
Under the terms of the failed plea deal prosecutor said that the state would waive for 30 days the requirement that Stoffel not live within 1,000-feet of a school, daycare or playground. Stoffel’s attorney said that Stoffel planned to move out of state and would vacate his residence well within the 30-day period. However, probation officials said the state could not wave for 30 days the residency limitation. This caused Circuit Judge Jonathan Gerber to vacate the plea and re-set the case for November 24th.
Reportedly the prosecution and defense will try to work out a new plea agreement.
Webmaster’s note: A “best interest” guilty plea does not signify the person making the plea admits any crime, but acknowledges that it is in their best interest to acknowledge that the prosecution has sufficient evidence that a jury might find the accused guilty. A “best interest” plea is similar to a “no contest” plea and the ultimate outcome is the same.
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