By By NORMA LERNER / Dowagiac Dailiy News
CASSOPOLIS – A special education paraprofessional employed with the Lewis Cass Intermediate School District will serve a three-year prison sentence imposed Friday morning for sexually abusing a special education student in 2005.
Paul Pumphrey, 29, of King Street, Dowagiac, received three to 15 years for third-degree criminal sexual conduct on May 1, 2005, against a 15-year-old male student while working at Marcellus High School.
Pumphrey pleaded no contest on Jan. 8 and must register as a sex offender with the State of Michigan, according to orders made Feb. 2 by Circuit Judge Michael Dodge.
Dodge noted Pumphrey was a teacher of the victim and befriended him while he was in middle school. He went to his house and took him out for pizza and shopping at Wal-Mart at various times. He had asked the victim if he wanted to do something "more interesting," which led to sexual abuse.
Assistant Prosecutor Kenneth Bobo said Pumphrey was a trusted employee with the LCISD, but he had a plan of attack. "He knew what he was doing," Bobo said in asking for sentencing according to his guidelines, which was 24 to 40 months.
Defense lawyer James Champion of Milford asked that he be sentenced at the low end of his guideline range.
Pumphrey was employed by the LCISD for seven years, Dodge said, in pointing out the victim had a disability.
He said he engaged in three acts of criminal sexual conduct with the victim at his home when he was caught in the bedroom at the boy's house by his mother's boyfriend. Pumphrey was ordered to pay $570 in costs.