Police: School Worker Molested Teens

WCCO
May. 06, 2006

(WCCO) Authorities arrested a 42-year-old school employee on Thursday for allegedly having sexual contact with at least two 16-year-old girls during the past two years.

Richard Parnell Rucker Sr. of St. Anthony, Minn. has been charged with two counts of first- and second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Rucker is currently employed at Roseville High School as a Cultural Resource Specialist.

When he employed in the South Washington County District #833, he worked at Cottage Grove Junior High, Oltman Junior High, Lake Junior High, and Woodbury Junior High as an Integration Specialist, police said. A school spokesman said he worked at the four schools during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years.

One of the alleged victims reported she had been having sexual contact with Rucker for the last two years.

"The district is appalled that this occurred during his tenure with our district," said Barbara Brown, communications director for South Washington County Schools in a statement.

Rucker is currently being held in the Washington County Jail.

Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact the Cottage Grove Police Department at 651-458-2811.