Southeastern Assistant Teacher Accused of Raping Female Students

A teaching assistant at Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School is accused of raping two female students on several occasions.

Matthew Emil Parris, 29, of Raynham, was arrested by Easton police early Saturday and arraigned Monday in Taunton District Court where he pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated statutory rape, rape of a child with force and kidnapping of a child.

Parris was ordered held without bail pending a Thursday dangerousness hearing.

A 15-year-old female student reported alleged incidents involving Parris to school officials last Thursday. Police were notified Friday and detectives began their investigation.

The student told police that on Feb. 22 Parris contacted her through Instagram and they met at a local cemetery. Parris allegedly tried to kiss the girl and touched her breast, court documents state. The alleged victim was able to escape, but before she left, Parris gave her a bag containing a sex toy, an Easton detective wrote in a police report.

The girl told police that on March 2, Parris made threatening comments and forced her to perform oral on him during the school day.

Detectives interviewed a second female student on Friday. She told police Parris messaged her on Instagram and told her to meet him, the report states.

The student told police that Parris on Feb. 27 held her down and forced her to perform oral sex. Parris allegedly threatened to harm the girl's family if she did not comply with his wishes. The next day Parris allegedly forced the girl to undress in the back seat of his car then drove to another location where he sexually assaulted her.

Both victims reported separate incidents involving Parris on March 2, and Parris allegedly continued to send the second victim sexual messages on Instagram.

School officials interviewed Parris Thursday and he allegedly admitted to kissing a student and said he was a "sex addict" who needed help. Superintendent Luis Lopes said Parris was fired on Thursday.

“On Thursday, we were notified of a potentially serious and completely inappropriate incident between one of our teaching assistants and several students,” the superintendent wrote in a letter to parents. “Given the seriousness of the accusations and the facts gathered by our administrative team, that individual’s employment was immediately terminated at Southeastern.

At Thursday's hearing in Taunton District Court, a judge could order the defendant held without bail for up to 120 days awaiting trial.

The investigation is ongoing, Easton Deputy Police Chief Kevin Boone confirmed on Tuesday.