A former teacher at a private boarding school in Hancock has been sentenced to over 27 years in federal prison for sexually abusing students and transporting them across state lines.
Paul Geer, 58, was convicted in March after a two-week trial. On Thursday, a federal judge sentenced him to 327 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender.
Prosecutors said Geer used his role at the Family Foundation School to impose what they called “torture” as discipline from 1994 to 2001. The punishments included starving children, forcing them to eat regurgitated food, wrapping them in rugs, and locking them in isolation for extended periods.
He then used his control to coerce two students into traveling with him—one to Maine, the other to Toronto—where he sexually abused them. Jurors found he transported the children across state lines for unlawful sexual activity.
“Paul Geer was a monster,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “He tortured these children physically, emotionally, and psychologically… and then sexually abused them. Now he’s paying the price.”
FBI Special Agent Craig L. Tremaroli said the abuse was “so depraved it’s truly hard to comprehend,” adding that the victims “continue to process the unimaginable impact” of Geer’s actions.
The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative focused on prosecuting child sexual exploitation and abuse. The FBI, New York State Police, and Colonie Police Department worked together on the investigation.
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