Pennsylvania

Former School IT Worker Accused of Sexually Assaulting 13-Year-Old Girl

A former employee at a private Montgomery County elementary school is accused of sexually assaulting a student. Marcus Forte, 40, of Warrington, Pennsylvania, is charged with sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor, unlawful restraint of a minor and other related offenses.

The investigation began back on June 7 after officials determined that Forte, a former IT employee at Gwynedd-Mercy Academy in Spring House, Pennsylvania inappropriately touched a 13-year-old girl who attends the school.

Officials say they searched through the girl’s cellphone and found messages between her and Forte that were sent between December 22, 2015 and January 20, 2016. Forte allegedly told the girl, “Hi! Be my friend because you’re my favorite and I love you!” He also allegedly told the girl to “come visit more often so I can give you more hugs and smooches…and candy of course.” Police say Forte then messaged the girl his number and told her, “Now you can text me if you need me.”

Investigators say Forte texted the girl several times after that. The girl’s therapist also told police she saw some of the text messages between her and Forte, including one alleged exchange on April 4.

“You took the hugs to the extreme today,” the girl texted Forte, according to a criminal complaint.

“Are you upset?” Forte allegedly replied.

Police say the girl then replied, “Yes” and included an emoji after that. Forte then allegedly texted, “I don’t know what that means. So you don’t like my extreme hugging?” The girl then replied, “No,” according to the criminal complaint.

The girl later told investigators that she was home sick from school back on April 4.

“Home sick,” the girl texted Forte, according to the complaint.

“Come to my house and snuggle,” Forte allegedly replied.

Investigators say Forte then picked the girl up from her home that day and the two went to Starbucks. He then drove the girl back to her home, according to the complaint. The girl told police she repeatedly told Forte “bye” but he followed her as she entered her house, investigators said.

Forte then allegedly started touching the girl and tickling her. Forte then forced himself on top of her, groped her and forcibly kissed her, according to officials. The girl told police she then left and went to the kitchen but Forte followed her. He then allegedly groped and forcibly kissed her once again. The girl told police Forte finally left when she told him her mom was on the way.
The girl also told investigators Forte kissed her on six different occasions in his office when he worked as an IT Technician at Gwynedd-Mercy Academy.

Investigators also say the girl spoke with Forte on the phone on June 15 about his alleged assaults.

“I’m not doing it for me [deleting text messages], I’m doing it for you so you don’t get in trouble for touching me,” the girl told Forte, according to the criminal complaint.

Police say the girl told Forte that she wanted an apology. He allegedly responded by saying, “I’m sorry for anything you think may have happened.”

“Ah, no,” the girl said, according to the complaint. “That’s not the apology I want. I want the apology for you touching me in places that I didn’t need to be touched and that I didn’t ask for.”

Forte allegedly replied by saying, “I’m very sorry [for] that if I did that to you.”

The girl then replied, “If you did it? Because I know you did it,” according to investigators.

“I know and I’m apologizing,” Forte allegedly said.

In a second conversation on June 21, the girl tried to get Forte to admit that he kissed her and gave her “extreme hugs,” according to the criminal complaint.

“Well I mean I wouldn’t really put that into the context….that’s…you know what I mean? That’s not really the context of what happened,” Forte allegedly replied.

He then allegedly told the girl she shouldn’t take their hugs out of context because “that’s dangerous.”

When asked what “taken out of context,” meant, Forte allegedly told the girl, “Well I think we know why, you know what I mean? I think you know why. We’re worlds apart in a lot of ways. I think it’s something that we’d be better off talking about in person, not over the phone. You know?”

During an interview with police on June 23, Forte claimed he inadvertently touched the girl’s bare breast at her house during what he described as, “extreme hugging,” according to the criminal complaint. Forte also allegedly admitted the girl was in his office behind a closed door while he worked at Gwynedd Mercy Academy.

Forte was arraigned Monday with bail set at $500,000. He was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 8.

A spokesperson for Gwynedd-Mercy Academy sent NBC10 the following statement on Forte.

Gwynedd-Mercy Academy Elementary was saddened to learn about allegations against one of its former staff members, Mark Forte, which resulted in his recent arrest involving alleged contact with one of its students. We were originally informed that the alleged event occurred at a private residence two months after Mr. Forte’s departure from the school. However, we were recently informed that some of the alleged contact also occurred while Mr. Forte was employed at the school. Mr. Forte’s departure was not based on a matter involving any contact or issue with students.

Gwynedd-Mercy Academy Elementary wants to assure parents and guardians that the safety and security of their children are its primary concern. The welfare and well-being of the children placed in our trust is paramount. Gwynedd-Mercy Academy Elementary will fully cooperate with the police, and we will continue to keep all concerned in our prayers.


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