By Stephen Stirling
A teacher at a Broadway−Flushing music school was arraigned on sex crimes charges Monday after prosecutors said he allegedly abused an 11−year−old who was a student of his.
In a 12−count criminal complaint, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said 24−year−old Amos Duque of 150−11 Horace Harding Expressway in Flushing was charged with sexual abuse, five counts of promoting a sexual performance of a child, five counts of possessing the sexual performance of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.
If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison, Brown said.
“The charges, if true, are very disturbing. A school — whether it be a student’s primary one or an after−school program — should always be a safe place for a student, free of sexual predators,” Brown said. “The consequences of the defendant’s alleged actions for the victim are profound and can well result in emotional trauma from which he may never recover.”
According to the criminal complaint, Duque worked at Allegro Vivace Music School, at 29−02 Francis Lewis Blvd., where he taught classical guitar and piano in the small facility.
Authorities said on Dec. 20, Duque allegedly gave his cell phone to an 11−year−old student and offered him money to go into the bathroom and take pictures of and make a video of his penis and then later allow Duque to see and touch it.
Brown said the allegations came to light when the student described the alleged abuse to a close family friend.
Brown said the investigation was ongoing and asked that anyone with additional information or who believes that they may have been a victim of abuse by Duque to contact the district attorney’s Special Victims Bureau at 718−186−6505.
The DA said Duque was ordered held on $25,000 bail and was expected to return to court Jan. 20.
Reach reporter Stephen Stirling by e−mail at sstirling@timesledger.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 138.
