A former parochial school principal in Batavia who admitted to a course of sexual conduct with a child less than 11 years old is facing the possibility of having his interim probation revoked.
A hearing will be held in October to help Judge Melissa Lightcap Cianfrini determine if he's violated the terms of his probation by telling probation officers that, contrary to his guilty plea, he has never been sexually attracted to children.
When Jason Clark, who was principal at St. Paul Lutheran School, entered his plea, District Attorney Kevin Finnell said Clark made a factual admission, by definition of his guilty plea, that he had sexual contact with a child to satisfy his sexual desires.
Clark's statement to a probation officer during his pre-sentence investigation interview, according to Finnell, is that Clark isn't and never was sexually attracted to children, and that statement, Finnell asserts, is inconsistent with his sworn admission in court.
That constitutes a violation of the warnings Clark was given by Cianfrini at the time of his guilty plea.
In June, Clark entered a guilty plea to sexual conduct against a child in the second degree, Class D felony. Under the terms of the plea, Clark agreed to surrender his teaching license and was placed on interim supervision by the Probation Department for one year.
If he successfully completes interim probation, Clark can change his plea to endangering the welfare of a child, which is a misdemeanor.
As part of his plea, Clark made a factual admission that he touched the chest of a female child two or more times over a period of time not less than three months in duration.
Cianfrini ordered a hearing, which will likely include testimony from the probation officer, for 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 17.
Clark was named principal at St. Paul in June 2019 and served in that position until sometime in 2022. He was arrested in January.
