A Massachusetts school custodian appeared in court Tuesday for allegedly raping a student in Leominster.
Christopher A. Zayas, 32, of Leominster, was arraigned by video conference in Leominster District Court on three counts of aggravated rape and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Sentinel and Enterprise obtained court documents indicating the custodian worked at Samoset Middle School, and that there were three illicit encounters at a local motel with a 15-year-old girl.
Superintendent Paula Deacon said in a statement that Zayas was no longer with the school district.
"While we believe this is an isolated incident, these allegations are both disturbing and unacceptable. The employee is no longer actively employed by the district. While we are prohibited from disclosing confidential personnel information, safety is always our top priority and we strive every day to make sure our students are learning and thriving in safe, welcoming and supportive schools. Our primary concern is to provide any and all support to the victim of this disturbing situation."
The judge in the case set bail at $5,000 and ordered Zayas to stay away from and have no contact with the victim. He cannot have unsupervised contact with children under 16 and must report to the probation department twice a week.
Zayas is due back in court April 11.
