Orel Sharon, a middle-school English teacher, was indicted on Sunday by the prosecution on charges of severe acts of sexual assault, carried out against a student of his who was just 12 years old when the incidents occurred.
The illegal and predatory acts carried on for about two years, from when she was 12-year-old to when she was 14.
The 32-year-old teacher at the Petah Tikva middle school was named as a suspect back in August, when he was arrested, and his detention was repeatedly extended. The suspicion is that he orchestrated a romantic relationship with her, grooming her for two years. Unidentified because she is a minor, the girl is 16 years old Sunday.
Charges against Sharon
The suspected charges from August were rape, indecent acts, and acts of sodomy. Due to the victim still being a minor, the details of the indictment have not been released for publication.
The investigation began when the teenage girl submitted a complaint against Sharon. In her testimony, she said that even though the sexual acts occurred “with her consent,” she understands now that, as a child, she was taken advantage of and abused. “It dawned on me that this was a horrible mistake,” she told investigators.
She began tenth grade last week. Per the suspicions, at least some of the acts took place on school property. According to the police, the relationship ended in March 2024, just before she turned 15.
She gave detailed accounts to police of the sexual acts that took place, and which were corroborated by Sharon, who said he also viewed the relationship as romantic in nature.