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Manhattan ROTC Instructor Arrested For Forcible Touching, Sex Abuse

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police announced the arrest a city employee, who is a ROTC instructor at a Manhattan high school, on Tuesday.

Authorities said 55-year-old Darryl Lynch, of Bridgeport, Connecticut was arrested on Tuesday following a complaint that he touched a 14-year-old girl in a sexual manner at the High School of Graphic Communication Arts.

Lynch has been charged with forcible touching, sexual abuse and an act in manner to injure a child less than 17.

Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott released a statement saying he was "outraged" by the charges against the instructor.

"I am outraged by these charges, and have no tolerance for adults who betray the trust of their students and school communities," Walcott said.

The chancellor also reiterated previous statements, saying that any teacher having an inappropriate relationship with a student "will be removed from the classroom as soon as allegations surface." He added that those individuals would be "barred from teaching" in city schools "if those charges have merit."

The arrest comes amid a rash of similar cases in recent months.

Just last week, an art teacher in Queens, Brett Picou, was accused of sexually abusing six fourth grade girls by hugging them, then sliding his hands down over their clothing and touching their buttocks.

Picou and Lynch join Chukwuma Duru, Tyleek Brooks, Gregory Atkins and Wilbert Cortez as teachers who have recently faced child sex abuse allegations.

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