Paul Geer, a 58-year-old former teacher from Hancock, New York, was sentenced to 327 months in federal prison for coercing and transporting two students across state lines for unlawful sexual activity. The sentencing follows his conviction on March 3, 2025, after a two-week trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, Geer worked at the Family Foundation School in Hancock from 1994 through 2001. During that time, he imposed severe disciplinary measures on students. These included depriving children of food or forcing them to eat regurgitated food, binding them in rugs and isolating them for long periods, and requiring physical labor as punishment. The court found that Geer used these methods to coerce two students into traveling with him—one to Maine and another to Toronto, Canada—where he sexually abused them.
In addition to his prison sentence, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino ordered Geer to serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration. He will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III commented: “Paul Geer was a monster. As a teacher, Geer was supposed to help his students become better versions of themselves. Instead, Geer used his position of power to torture these children physically, emotionally, and psychologically. When Geer believed his tactics had been sufficiently effective in breaking these children and scaring them into silence, he proceeded to sexually abuse them. These children deserved to be protected, to be cared for, and to be helped, but Geer viewed these children only as a means to his sadistic and predatory end. Geer is now paying the price for his heinous conduct and will spend the next 27 years where he deserves to be, in a cage.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “The depth of Mr. Geer’s sexual, physical, and psychological abuse is so depraved it’s truly hard to comprehend. He was entrusted to care for the students at the Family Foundation school but instead tortured them for years. Now he’s being held accountable for those actions and heading to federal prison. Nothing was more important than delivering justice to those students. Today, our thoughts are with them – and their peers who never got to tell their stories – as they continue to process the unimaginable impact his abhorrent behavior had on their young lives.”
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with support from local law enforcement agencies including the Colonie Police Department and New York State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica N. Carbone, Adrian S. LaRochelle, and Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted the case under Project Safe Childhood—a national initiative led by U.S Attorneys’ Offices along with other federal divisions aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts among federal, state and local agencies (https://www.justice.gov/psc).
