Sex Charges Filed Against Huntington Band Teacher

By Thomas Nothel

A former student at Huntington High School has filed charges alleging improper sexual contact in a lawsuit against the Huntington School District and a Music department administrator, Brian Stellato.

The suit alleges that Stellato, who was formerly the band director, sexually assaulted the student once in School and once outside school when she was a student there.  It also alleges that he continued the sex assaults against the student after she graduated in 2010.

Stellato has denied the allegations.

The complaint was filed  in November, just days before the New York State’s Adult Survivors Act expired.  .

The Adult Survivors Act allowed former victims (currently 18 and over) of sexual assault in New York state to file a civil suit even if the statute of limitations had expired.

Civil suits could be filed for a one-year period, from November 24, 2022, to November 24, 2023.

Stellato was hired in the fall of 2006 to be the Huntington High School Band director.  He continued as Band direction until he was promoted to Director of Fine and Perfuming Arts in December of 2022.

The Huntington School District has said it will not comment due to the pending litigation. Stellatto has been re-assigned to work from home.