Former Miss Porter's Teacher Sentenced in Student Sex Case

Joseph Rajkumar, 44, will serve more than six years in prison.

The former boarding school teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with an underage student has been sentenced to a total of more than six years in prison.

Joseph Rajkumar, 44, was arrested in March 2013 after allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl during the 2011-2012 school year at Miss Porter's School in Farmington. Federal authorities said he contacted and enticed the student online.

According to federal prosecutors, Rajkumar, a former science teacher and Science Olympiad team adviser, pressured the teen to create an anonymous email account and use it to expose her chest to him through video chat.

A few months later, in November 2011, the two began having a sexual relationship, prosecutors said.

Federal prosecutors said Rajkumar also began to harass other female students both in person and through text message, making comments on their physical appearances and urging them to do "naughty things" in "secret."

According to the U.S. attorney's office, Rajkumar had inappropriate conversations with at least half a dozen female students and had sexual intercourse with one of them.

Rajkumar has been incarcerated since January 2014 and pleaded guilty in federal court last November to one count of attempted receipt of child pornography.

Rajkumar has also pleaded guilty to state charges of second-degree sexual assault and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspended after 18 months, followed by 10 years of probation.

He was sentenced to an additional five years in prison and 10 years of supervised release on Wednesday. Between his state and federal sentences, Rajkumar is expected to serve a total of 78 months behind bars.

Contact Us