BREAKING NEWS: SCHS principal arrested for alleged rape of a student
Delaware State Police detectives on Friday arrested the principal of Sussex Central High School for the alleged rape of a 17-year-old female high school student at the school.
According to Cpl. Jeffrey C. Whitmarsh, public information officer for the Delaware State Police, the investigation was launched Friday, May 2, when an anonymous tip was sent to the school district via a letter. This tip was then turned over to the DSP, which looked into the allegations outlined in the letter.
Dana I. Goodman, 38, of August Street in Easton, Md., was arrested Friday afternoon after detectives from the state police implicated him in the rape of a student attending Sussex Central High School. Police reported that the alleged contact between Goodman and the student was consensual and began in the early part of January of this year. The last contact was approximately a week ago, they said.
Goodman was formally charged Friday with Endangering the Welfare of a Child, 30 counts of Rape 4th Degree and Continual Sexual Abuse of a Child - all felonies.
Whitmarsh said the investigation revealed Goodman and the student had met at various location in Sussex and Kent counties, where the acts were allegedly committed.
Goodman was arraigned and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institute in lieu of $331,000 cash-only bail. As a condition of his bail, he was ordered to have no contact with the victim - direct or indirect; no contact with children under the age of 18 and no contact with the Indian River School District or its employees.
Police deferred additional questions about the case Friday, citing the sensitive nature of the complaint.
Questions regarding Goodman's employment were directed to district officials, who did not immediately respond to inquiries by the Coastal Point on Friday afternoon.
Whitmarsh said that anyone else who feels as though they too have been victimized by Goodman should call investigators at (302) 856-5850, ext. 219.
For more on this story, pick up next week's print edition of the Coastal Point on Friday, May 9, or read or the online edition at www.CoastalPoint.com.
