17 students

Teacher Charged with Sexually Abusing 17 Students

An elementary school music teacher at the Onondaga Nation School was charged Wednesday with sexually abusing as many as 17 young students between ages seven and 14.

Authorities in central New York say Albert Scerbo was originally arrested in December for having sexual contact with two young girls, ages 7 and 8. Investigators say the incidents occurred between September 2002 and December 2006.

But Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick says the list of victims grew as deputies investigated the 44-year-old town of Clay.

The indictment returned Wednesday charged Scerbo with 17 counts of endangering the welfare of a child, 11 counts of second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child, four counts of first-degree sexual abuse, and three counts of second-degree sexual abuse.