Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PAWTUCKET -- The lawyers for a Pawtucket school principal accused of repeteadly sexually assaulting a child in the city in the late 1990s issued a statement this morning denying any wrongdoing by the principal.

"Ray Dalton has devoted his professional life to the education of our children," reads the statement, signed by John E. MacDonald and Peter A. DiBiase. "He has been a teacher, principal and educator for over 30 years. His character and reputation are impeccable."

Raymond Dalton, 51, principal of the Elizabeth Baldwin School for the past 13 years, was indicted yesterday by a Providence County grand jury on three counts of first-degree molestation and two counts of second-degree molestation against a former Baldwin student aged 14 or younger allegedly committed between Jan. 1, 1995 and Dec. 31, 1998.

The indictment does not specify where the alleged sexual assaults happened or whether the alleged victim was a Baldwin student at the time.

"These outrageous allegations are false," MacDonald and DiBiase wrote on the statement faxed to the Journal this morning. "These allegations arise from a violent felon and career criminal with a motivation to better his current prison situation.

"Ray Dalton is innocent and looks forward to his day in court."

Dalton is scheduled to be arraigned in Providence County Superior Court on Dec. 17.

-- With reports from Tatiana Pina

 Tags  courts Elizabeth Baldwin School Pawtucket Providence Raymond Dalton RI sexual assault

---