Former Hancock teacher indicted for sexual activities with minors

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Paul Geer, a 56-year-old man who was a former teacher at the Family Foundation School in Hancock, was arraigned in federal court on Thursday, April 4, for sex charges against minors.

Geer was officially indicted on three separate charges of enticing children to travel across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual activity and three counts of transporting children across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

The indictment alleges that while Geer was a teacher at the Family Foundation School, he imposed punishments that were equal to torture, including depriving children of food, forcing them to eat food that had been regurgitated, binding children to rugs, leaving them in isolated rooms for extended periods and forcing them to do physical labor.

Geer is also accused of coercing three students to travel with him on separate occasions in 1994, 2000 and 2001 to Maine, Pennsylvania and Toronto. While with these three students, Geer allegedly raped or sexually abused each of them.

If convicted, the three counts of coercion and enticement each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years. The three counts of transporting children across state lines each carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years.

As of now, these charges are still accusations.

Anyone with information about Paul Geer, the Family Foundation School, or other schools like it, which may have marketed themselves as part of the “Troubled Teen Industry,” is asked to contact the FBI at FFStips@fbi.gov.