Former McKeesport teacher faces new sex charges as 8th child comes forward
A former McKeesport Area middle school teacher accused of sexually assaulting several children faces additional charges as an eighth alleged victim has come forward, police said.
Allegheny County police on Tuesday charged Eric Vincent Fairman, 26, of Pleasant Hills, with corruption of minors, unlawful contact with a minor under the age of 16, criminal use of a communication facility and eight counts of indecent assault.
According to court documents, a boy told investigators that Fairman assaulted and fondled him on multiple occasions in 2020, either at the boy’s home or at Fairman’s home. At least one of the incidents happened when the boy was in eighth grade, police said.
The boy told authorities that when he didn’t say goodnight to Fairman via text message, Fairman would “’guilt trip’ him and make him feel bad.”
Related:
• Bond denied for former McKeesport teacher accused of sexual abuse
• New charges filed against youth coach arrested in connection with sexual assaults
• Former McKeesport middle school teacher facing charges of sexually assaulting children
Fairman, also a former youth sports coach, initially was charged on Sept. 1 with multiple counts of indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors and criminal communications in connection with alleged incidents involving at least four boys. He resigned from his teaching position the day before the charges were announced.
On Sept. 6, Fairman was charged in connection with five more alleged incidents that police said involved three additional children over the past several years.
The alleged victims ranged in age from 10 to 12 at the time of the abuse, police said. The boys told police that Fairman touched them inappropriately, sent text messages to them and in some cases said that he loved and missed them.
Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Edward J. Borkowski on Sept. 8 denied Fairman’s request to be granted bond and released on electronic home monitoring. He is awaiting a preliminary hearing.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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