newjerseynewsroom.com

BY ALICIA CRUZ

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The former principal of Clifton High School has been indicted by a Passaic County grand jury on a charge of official misconduct for allegedly using his authority “in return for engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct” with the mother of a special needs student.

The criminal indictment, made public Monday by the woman’s attorney, Charles J. Sciarra of Clifton, has not yet been released to the public by county Prosecutor Camelia Valdes, but according to The Record on NorthJersey.com, the grand jury found that Jimmie Warren knowingly committed “an unauthorized exercise of his official functions” by “authorizing the special treatment of the student in exchange for inappropriate sexual conduct with the parent. The indictment on a charge of second-degree official misconduct means the grand jury found there is enough supporting evidence to send the charge to trial.

The Clifton mother filed sexual harassment complaints against Warren in December 2010 alleging the acts occurred toward the end of her son's freshman year at Clifton High between September 2008 and September 2010. In her criminal complaint, she accused the 66-year-old administrator of lewdness and aggravated sexual contact, which are third- and fourth-degree crimes. She further alleged criminal coercion saying Warren lured or enticed her in June and September under the guise of helping her child, in order to commit the crimes.

At least two of the incidents took place during meetings in the principal's office where he allegedly exposed himself to the woman and “unexpectedly and quietly approached her from behind, putting his hands under the woman's breasts, and fondled them.”

In September 2010, Warren asked the 37-year-old mother to meet him at a Rochelle Park Ramada Inn, assuring her they would only talk about her son. The plaintiff, with deep apprehension, agreed, but once at the hotel room, she claimed Warren stripped down to his underwear and asked her to have sex with him, OnPointNews.com reported.

The woman's second attorney Douglas Anton told the Record that when Clifton police detective Captain Robert Rowan questioned the principal, he admitted to securing the hotel room because the victim wanted to meet in a place where she could speak freely and smoke, but denied doing anything inappropriate, NorthJersey.com reported. Anton said his client continued to meet with Warren only because her son was having trouble in school, and that each time the man made inappropriate advances, his client protested and abruptly left the scene.

The victim filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Newark in February against the Board of Education, the high school and Warren seeking unspecified damages for the harassment and alleging that school district officials were aware of his behavior and did nothing. She claims to have audio recordings in which, among other things, Warren admits to inappropriately touching her.

School district officials called the suit frivolous and an investigation by the school board attorney months ago found the allegations were without merit. However, Sciarra said Monday that the grand jury's decision obviously disagrees with that and soon school officials will be held to account, answering what they knew and when they knew it.

Warren's attorney, Barry Kantrowitz, said his client denies the allegations and voluntarily surrendered himself to police for processing six days after the woman filed the complaints.

According to a report by The Clifton Journal, Warren, of Rockland County, New York, resigned his position in March 2011, but Kantrowitz said the resignation should not be interpreted as an admission of guilt but rather a desire to retire after a long career in education.

On Monday, in response to the grand jury indictment, Kantrowitz said it is apparent that the grand jury did not believe the majority of the victim’s allegations since they did not indict Warren on all of the charges. Kantrowitz said his client continues to maintain his innocence and believes he will be exonerated once they cross-examine the accuser

No date for the trial has been scheduled and Warren, who served as the principal of Christopher Columbus Middle School before taking over the high school in 2008, remains free in lieu of a $2,500 bond.