After 5? months of being accused of second-degree criminal sexual conduct against his 14-year-old adopted daughter, Oxford teacher Gerard (Jerry) Wilson was acquitted of all four charges Oct.12.
Wilson said it ‘feels wonderful? that his name was cleared. He gained strength to get through this ordeal from those who stayed by his side during this dark time.
‘Right from the beginning, my family, my friends, my co-workers, and students were great,? he said. ‘I got letters from students saying ‘Mr. Wilson, we know you’re innocent. We know there’s something else going on here and we all back you.??
Wilson, of Commerce Township, was taken into custody back in May after his daughter reportedly told Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies he had inappropriately touched her.
His daughter told deputies this after they found her at the former Highlander Motel in Waterford Twp. with a 27-year-old Texas man, Richard Carrasco, she met on the Internet.
Police said the girl made the allegations against her father to a nurse during an examination and then to a forensic interviewer at Care House in Pontiac.
But according to Wilson’s attorney, Larry Kaluzny, the girl told jurors that she was ‘scared when the police found me in the motel? and that she thought ‘the police blew it out of proportion.?
Second-degree criminal sexual conduct is a charge that alleges sexual touching with somebody under the age of 13, or someone between the ages of 13 and 14 where the defendant is related by blood or affinity.
Kaluzny said it took jurors at the Oakland County Circuit Court only two hours to clear Wilson’s name. ‘We happened to bump into a lot of the jurors in the hall afterwards. Every comment we got from the jurors was ? they felt he was not guilty right away,? he said.
One thing Wilson wants to share with the parents of Oxford is to not be afraid to monitor what your child does online.
‘Internet predators are very dangerous and unfortunately, our children are very vulnerable to the things they say and do,? he said.
As for Carrasco, his case was dismissed from Oakland County courts after federal charges were filed against him in the U.S. District Court in Detroit, when investigators discovered 32,000 images of alleged child pornography on his computers.
Slowly, but surely, Wilson has already begun picking up the pieces of his life, starting with his job. He was placed on administrative leave in May from his positions as video production teacher at the high school and science technology teacher at the middle school until the outcome of the case was determined.
Wilson’s administrative leave ended Oct. 22. He began working on a new assignment as a delegate for the district to work more closley with Oxford Community Television in marketing and displaying school events, such as sporting events and concerts to be aired on Channel 19.
According to Asst. Superintendent Nancy Kammer, the decision as to when Wilson will begin teaching again at the high school has not yet to be determined.
He will begin his teaching position again on Nov. 5 at the middle school, the day the new marking period begins.
If there’s one thing Wilson’s learned from his ordeal it’s that strong families can overcome hard times as long as they stick together. ‘This could’ve done one of two things; it could’ve ripped the family apart, or it could’ve brought us closer together,? he said. ‘It really has brought us closer together.?