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<p>NANTICOKE &#8212; A former teacher and Nanticoke mayor who served probation for his guilty plea to fondling a boy in 2003 faces a new set of charges for allegedly attempting to lure three teenagers into his car by offering them money, police said.</p><p>Edward J. Butkiewicz, 76, of Sandwedge Drive, Mountain Top, faces five counts each of corruption of minors and luring a child into a motor vehicle, as well as single counts of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He served as mayor in the mid-1980s and later on City Council, and was a Greater Nanticoke Area teacher in the 1990s.</p><p>According to an affidavit, a 13-year-old boy was in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Rock Street in Newport Township on Sunday when Butkiewicz pulled up in a silver Cadillac asking the boy where he could get a drink.</p><p>The conversation then quickly turned &#8220;more personal&#8221; when Butkiewicz asked the boy about his &#8220;private area,&#8221; the affidavit says. Butkiewicz allegedly asked to see the boy&#8217;s private area and added he would &#8220;do things&#8221; to the boy that the teen described as &#8220;weird.&#8221;</p><p>Butkiewicz gave the boy $3 and offered him more money to get in the car with him and go for a ride, but the boy refused, the affidavit says. Butkiewicz left, but noted he&#8217;d be back. The boy then went home and told his mother, who called 911.</p><p>A search of the vehicle&#8217;s registration led police to identify Butkiewicz.</p><p><strong>More teens allegedly lured</strong></p><p>Three days later, on Wednesday, Newport Township police received a report the same man was again attempting to lure children at the same apartment building.</p><p>A 16-year-old boy told the responding officer Butkiewicz tried to get him into his vehicle Sunday after asking the teen &#8220;if he was gay and he wanted to make money,&#8221; the affidavit states. The teen said he was again approached by Butkiewicz on Wednesday. Another 16-year-old said Butkiewicz also asked if he wanted to &#8220;make money&#8221; that day, according to charges.</p><p>The two teens brought Butkiewicz to their apartment where they quickly called 911. As Butkiewicz tried to leave, a juvenile girl blocked his truck by pretending her car was broke until police arrived, the affidavit says.</p><p>The officer asked Butkiewicz if he was in the area that past Sunday and gave money to children, and Butkiewicz acknowledged he was and that he often gives money to children, authorities report. Butkiewicz allegedly told the officer he was at the apartments because one of the teens offered to give him a tattoo.</p><p>The officer noted he observed money on the suspect&#8217;s passenger seat and a protective seat cover over the backseat.</p><p>The affidavit further states the arresting officer was cut on his hand attempting to take a combative Butkiewicz into custody. Butkiewicz was committed to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility, but was later released after posting $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.</p><p>In the 2003 case, Butkiewicz also offered the victim a ride. As the two drove, Butkiewicz put his hand on the boy&#8217;s shoulder and rubbed his back. After that, Butkiewicz unbuttoned the teenager&#8217;s jeans and began to fondle him. Butkiewicz told police the boy &#8212; a former student of his &#8212; unbuttoned his own pants and he grabbed the boy&#8217;s genitals &#8220;on impulse.&#8221;</p><p>He was eventually sentenced to two years of probation on an indecent assault charge.</p><p>His sentence was handed down with a stern reprimand from then-Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella: &#8220;It&#8217;s a shame, Mr. Butkiewicz. In a short period of time, you managed to ruin a reputation beyond reproach. Whatever problems you have, I hope you deal with them.&#8221;</p><p>The victim subsequently filed a lawsuit against Butkiewicz claiming he developed emotional problems that required counseling.</p><p>Court records show the parties settled for $10,000.</p><p><strong>Clashes with school district</strong></p><p>Butkiewicz, who taught six grade, surrendered his teaching license in 2004.</p><p>Years earlier, his clash with the school district over a suspension drew significant attention when a school board member accused Butkiewicz of improper conduct in the classroom.</p><p>The controversy exploded in 1998 when then-School Board member Terry Ziolkowski announced that his niece, a student of Butkiewicz&#8217;s, heard the teacher use a racial epithet in class. Ziolkowski also claimed Butkiewicz tugged on students&#8217; underwear and showed a movie featuring a topless woman in class.</p><p>Butkiewicz argued in a lawsuit against the district that he used the word in the context of a social studies lesson on slavery, and the movie was a history movie with a PG-13 rating. An arbitrator ruled in 1999 that Butkiewicz should be reinstated and receive back pay and benefits for the nearly 15-month suspension.</p><p>A federal judge threw out the lawsuit in 2001, finding it had no merit.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Butkiewicz </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_Butkiewicz-Edward-5.jpg</photo0><caption0>Butkiewicz </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Ex-Nanticoke mayor, teacher facing charges for allegedly luring teen boys