Substitute teacher in Wheatland-Chili accused of sexual abuse

A substitute teacher in the Wheatland-Chili Central School District has been accused of inappropriately touching elementary students.

Robert W. Petit, 40, of Chili, faces 11 counts of first-degree sexual abuse and six counts of endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

On March 3, 2023, the school district reported that Petit, a substitute teacher, may have inappropriately touched elementary students. Police said three students reported instances of inappropriate touching, outside of their clothing, by Petit on four separate occasions during the school day.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office collaborated with the Bivona Child Advocacy Center to conduct interviews with the victims and their families. Additional interviews with staff members and Petit’s former employers were also conducted, but no new victims were identified, police said.

After a two-week investigation, the case was submitted to the Monroe County District Attorney's office for a Grand Jury presentation on March 17, 2023. On May 22, 2024, police received a sealed indictment warrant and arrested Petit later that evening. He was arraigned and remanded to Monroe County Jail on $500,000 cash bail.

The Sheriff's Office acknowledged the length of the process to make the arrest:

“The sheriff acknowledges that the delay of over twelve months in this process of notifying the public is unacceptable,” the Sheriff’s Office said regarding the process. “We have created a tracking mechanism so that we can follow through with our public safety partners so that an announcement can be made as soon as legally possible.”

Anyone with further information regarding Robert Petit is urged to call 911.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Robert Petit accused of sexual abuse in Wheatland-Chili school district