Mass. high school athletic director charged with sending video of sex act to minor

Auburn High School’s school athletic director is facing a criminal charge after police accused him of sending sexually explicit messages and videos to a 17-year-old. 

Curtis Field, 29, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one count of providing obscene material to a minor. The Vernon, Connecticut, resident was released on $500 cash bail following his arraignment in Worcester District Court. His attorney was not immediately available for comment Wednesday. 

Auburn police allege Field sent a 17-year-old videos of himself engaged in oral sex. In a statement of facts filed in court, Detective Sgt. Daniel Lamoreaux said the teen — who was not named in the report — does not go to Auburn High School but does attend a school that “regularly engages in activities” with Auburn.

The 17-year-old told Lamoreaux they exchanged sexually explicit messages with Field after Field reached out to them over Snapchat in October, according to the statement of facts. In one message, Field purportedly suggested the teen perform oral sex on him in his office.

“Send daddy a face pic I’m over at Auburn hs,” he allegedly wrote in another. 

According to Lamoreaux, Field admitted to sending explicit videos but said he believed the recipient was an adult. Field also allegedly told police he would only send explicit videos to people he met on the messaging app Grindr, which requires users to be at least 18 years old. However, the teen said their communication with Field did not originate on another app outside of Snapchat, and that Field hadn’t made an attempt to determine their age.

Auburn police said authorities launched an investigation last week at the request of Auburn Public Schools administrators.

In a message to families and staff, Auburn Superintendent of Schools Beth Chamberland said the district immediately interviewed Field, placed him on administrative leave, and alerted police after learning of the “troubling communications” Jan. 22.

“We fully recognize the seriousness of these allegations and did all we could to protect our students,” Chamberland added. “We are extremely appreciative of the support of the Auburn Police Department through this ordeal. Their guidance and involvement from the start ensured that this was brought to a resolution quickly.”

In his statement of facts, Lamoreaux also said his investigation is ongoing, “with another potential victim” who is 17. 

Field turned himself in to authorities Tuesday, police said. Judge Andrew Abdella ordered Field to have no contact with any alleged victims, have no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16, and to stay away from Auburn and Spencer public schools.

Abby Patkin

Staff Writer

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.

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