A former school administrator has been banned from teaching for 15 years after being caught in a 鈥榗reep catcher鈥� sting.
Mark Louis Pierotti was head of Aspengrove School in Lantzville when he was fired last summer for allegedly engaging in inappropriate communication with a person who stated they were under the age of consent.
A consent resolution agreement released Tuesday, Aug. 8, by the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation, noted that Pierotti relinquished his certificate of qualification on Sept. 20, 2022, just eight days after the school reported the allegation to the commissioner under the Independent Schools Act.
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According to the agreement, Pierotti used the Grindr dating app to contact a person who listed his age as 21, but then communicated that he was 15 years old. The person was actually an adult male vigilante posing as a teen to try to catch sexual predators. Pierotti鈥檚 ensuing messages included, 鈥淵ou know. Better not. You are too young and it鈥檚 not legal. So when ur of age let me know. I can come say hi and we can meet just so you know I鈥檓 not a jerk 鈥� I鈥檓 guessing you have hooked up w older guys before 鈥� I鈥檓 on my way we can talk and go from there.鈥�
The vigilante met Pierotti at a prearranged meeting place. Pierotti was sitting in his car and drove off as the man approached and used his cell phone to record the interaction. The vigilante then posted the cell phone video recording and Grindr messages on Facebook.
The administrator鈥檚 employment with the school was terminated Aug. 27.
On Oct, 6 the commissioner proposed a consent resolution agreement with Pierotti in accordance with the Teachers Act, in which he admitted the facts set out in the agreement are true, that his conduct was 鈥渦nbecoming鈥� and 鈥渃ontrary鈥� to the standard of the Professional Standards for B.C. Educators, and that he will not apply for, nor be issued, a certificate of qualification, an independent school teaching certificate or any other authorization to teach Kindergarten to Grade 12 for 15 years.
鈥淎fter being told that the youth was 15, years old, Pierotti continued to send messages, some with sexual content, and also arranged to meet the youth,鈥� stated Ana R. Mohammed, commissioner, in the agreement. 鈥淧ierotti was aware of the age of consent and that sexual activity with a 15 year old would be criminal in nature. [His] conduct became known to the public through the Facebook posting [and his] conduct undermines the public鈥檚 confidence in the education system.鈥�
The agreement was signed July 27.
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chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com
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