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Substitute teacher pleads no contest to molesting, porn possession charges
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Gregory Berry, 46, has entered a “no contest” plea to misdemeanor charges of annoying and molesting nine- and 10-year-old fourth grade girls when he was substitute teaching at Joshua Cowell School on Pestana Avenue in east Manteca in May of last year, according to Manteca detective Steven Beermann.

The Modesto man was also charged with felony possession of child pornography and erotica on his computer that police say they found when searching his home.  The five victims alleged the teacher with inappropriate touching over their clothes in the classroom setting, Beermann said.

Berry was sentenced to 60 days in the San Joaquin County Jail and will never be able to have another teaching position because of the felony conviction.

Police said he had been teaching in Stockton and was on a year-round school break in the schedule when he took the substitute position in Manteca.  Berry had started teaching at a private school in Lodi in 2003 and was fully credentialed in 2006.

In a separate sexual conviction that charged a Sierra High School history teacher with unlawful intercourse with a student, Jeffrey Maurer, 43, reportedly pled guilty in San Joaquin County Superior Court.  The plea included admission to the allegation that he had attempted to dissuade a witness from reporting a crime to authorities.  He, too, will find it impossible to obtain another teaching job because of the felony on his record, officers said.  He was placed on probation.

Detective Beermann urged parents to contact officers at the first sign of adult irregularities with their children whether in or out of the classroom setting.  He noted that abuse investigations should primarily be handled by the police over school personnel since local detectives have more extensive experience in handling the sensitive issues.

Beermann asked that parents talk initially with officers when they have any sense that their children may be the victims of abuse by adults.