By Howard Koplowitz
Richard Ali, 28, of 91-48 115th St., entered a guilty plea Jan. 10 to rape and sexual abuse involving three underage students at an appearance before Queens Supreme Court judge James Griffin, Brown said. Griffin indicated that he would sentence Ali to 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 25, according to the DA.”This teacher destroyed his students' trust and will now pay the price for his crimes in prison,” Brown said.Ali, a former biology teacher at Cathedral High School at 350 East 56th St., raped the first girl, who was under 16, on April 1, 2005, Brown said. He also sexually abused her on April 7, 2005, Brown said. Ali sexually abused a second student, who was also underage, back on Nov. 10, 2006 and raped and molested her the next day before raping her again on Nov. 18, 2006, according to the DA.He was charged with statutory rape of another student in January 2007 and sexual abuse of a fourth on Feb. 3, 2007.All of the instances of sexual abuse occurred in Queens, according to the DA.Ali had sex with one of the girls in his car in January 2007, which was parked in Long Island City, according to the criminal complaint in the case. He took another victim to the Whitestone Movie Cinemas a month later, where he rubbed the girl's legs, stomach and breasts and put his hand on her shirt. Ali taught biology at the college prep school until he was arrested last year, Brown said.The Queens DA's office brought charges against the Richmond Hill teacher after one of the students reported him to a guidance counselor at the Manhattan high school.Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
