Law enforcement officials claimed that a 42-year-old instructor at a Salem charter school was apprehended on Wednesday during a sting operation, as they suspected him of meeting a 14-year-old girl for a sexual encounter.
Darren Benedick, a gym and fitness teacher at Salem Academy Charter School, allegedly communicated online in a “teens only” chat channel with someone he believed to be a minor girl, according to Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office, as reported by Boston Globe. Benedick allegedly sent an explicit image, stated explicit activities he desired to conduct, and expressed a desire to meet in person. They decided to get together on Wednesday.
When Benedick arrived at the unidentified place, he was arrested by the Newbury Police Department’s undercover officer, who went by the name “girl.”
Benedick was charged with two felonies and appeared in Newburyport District Court by afternoon. According to court documents, he entered a not guilty plea to one count of luring a juvenile and one count of sending pornographic material to a minor. A $5,000 combined bail was issued for the two counts. Benedick was placed under house arrest, mandated to wear a GPS tracker, and prohibited from speaking with kids. On Friday, he has a pretrial hearing set.
In related news, Benedick—then known as Reginald Kensington III—was fired as a commentator by Chaotic Wrestling in North Andover, effective Wednesday night. The organization underscored its Zero Tolerance Policy and reaffirmed its commitment to upholding a secure environment, emphasizing the regrettable ubiquity of such conduct in the sector and its commitment to promoting constructive transformation.
We learned today that erratic pundit Darren Benedick was taken into custody on allegations of luring children and disseminating content that could be detrimental to children. Chaotic ended all interactions with him right away and has a rigorous zero-tolerance policy.
The fact that this kind of behavior has been common throughout the industry’s history is a regrettable reality. Chaotic Wrestling is unwavering in its commitment to fostering a secure atmosphere and will keep moving the company forward by actively steering it in that direction.
The idea that a professional wrestler could ever do anything like this is almost unbelievable, and it remains to be seen if Darren Benedick will spend a significant amount of time behind bars.
