(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Thomas Bernagozzi, 77, of Babylon, was sentenced to 33 ⅓ to 50 years in prison after being convicted of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree, Sodomy in the First Degree, and multiple counts of Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child, for sexually abusing two former students and possessing sexually explicit images of a former student.
“Justice has been long overdue for the survivors who bravely came forward to hold their abuser accountable. This defendant violated the sacred trust placed in him as an educator, causing profound harm to the children in his care,” said District Attorney Tierney. “We are grateful to the survivors for their courage in testifying at trial, as well as all the additional survivors whose abuse was time-barred but not forgotten. We hope this outcome provides some measure of closure as they continue their healing.”
The New York State Child Victims Act, signed into law on February 14, 2019, allows any victim who was abused while under the age of 18 to file a civil action up until that person turns 55 years old. With the passage of this law, a “look-back” window was created, allowing victims who would not benefit from the new law going forward to file their civil claims from years past.
The “look-back” window commenced on August 14, 2019, was extended on August 14, 2020, and ultimately closed on August 13, 2021. As a result, 45 individual lawsuits were filed on behalf of victims against the Bay Shore Union Free School District, as well as Bernagozzi, for conduct alleged to have been perpetuated by him. However, the civil look-back window did not impact the criminal statute of limitations, and as a result, the majority of the persons who filed lawsuits, and others who were alleged victims of Bernagozzi, were still legally barred from bringing any criminal actions against Bernagozzi due to the length of time that had passed since Bernagozzi had allegedly committed the crimes against them.
After careful investigation by the District Attorney’s Office and Suffolk County Police Department, it was determined that several of the charges remained viable within the criminal statute of limitations. As a result, Bernagozzi was charged by the Grand Jury with sexually abusing two children and for possessing images of the exposed genitalia of a third child. The evidence at trial established that Bernagozzi was employed by the Bay Shore Union Free School District as a third-grade teacher at the Mary G. Clarkson Elementary School and Gardiner Manor Elementary School between 1970 and 2000.
According to the testimony at trial, Bernagozzi used his position of trust with his students and their parents to gain access to the children for the purpose of sexually abusing them. During his time in Bay Shore School District, Bernagozzi ran the school’s plays, after-school sports, and would, on his own time, take children to the local beaches, pools, gym, Broadway shows and sporting events. Much of the abuse took place during these activities, outings and events.
The jury’s verdict of guilt for Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree related to Bernagozzi’s abuse of one victim, which occurred when the victim was between 8 to 11 years old.
The jury’s verdict of guilt for Sodomy in the First Degree related to Bernagozzi’s abuse of another victim, which occurred when the victim was 7 years old. Bernagozzi met this victim when he was only 4 years old and his older brother was a third-grade student in Bernagozzi’s class.
Bernagozzi also abused this victim between the ages of 4 and 7 at various events including trips to the beach and pools.
Bernagozzi’s conviction for three counts of Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child stemmed from an execution of a search warrant at his home in December 2023 by members of the Suffolk County Police Department, where thousands of photographs in printed and negative formats were found. These photographs depicted male students at various events. Many of the children in the photos were shirtless and posed, and one of which had their genitals exposed.
On February 13, 2026, Bernagozzi was convicted of the following charges after a jury trial heard before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis:
- One count of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;
- One count of Sodomy in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony; and
- Three counts of Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child, Class E felonies.
On May 13, 2026, Bernagozzi was sentenced to 33 ⅓ to 50 years in prison. He was represented by Steven Politi, Esq.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Dana Castaldo of the Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Bureau and Assistant District Attorney MacDonald Drane of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau, with assistance from Senior Paralegal Julia Maida of the Child Abuse, Domestic Violence Bureau and Victim Services Coordinator Aracelis Buchanan and Crime Victim Advocate Sorene Ryan. The investigation was conducted by Detective Patrick Boyles of the Suffolk County Police Department.
