Judge lowers bond for JCPS teacher accused of groping adult men

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Jefferson County Public Schools math teacher accused of dressing up like a woman and sexually groping men pleaded not guilty to new charges Tuesday morning.

Michael Mascardo, a Minor Daniels Academy math teacher, was already facing eight charges of sexual abuse in Oldham County on Tuesday morning when he appeared before a judge on five new charges in Jefferson County.

"You are charged, sir, with five counts of sexual abuse, third degree," explained Jefferson District Judge Jessica Moore.

"I don't think there's been any danger that he's out there posing any risk to the community," Sean Pharr, Mascardo's attorney, told the judge. "I'm asking the court to reduce the bond."

The prosecutor argued his bond should remain at $25,000, full cash.

But Pharr countered, "if the court were to reduce the bond, he's going to go back to where he's been living with his husband."

WDRB started looking into Mascardo's background and here's what we found:

Starting in 1991, he has worked various jobs as a teacher and professor in Canada where he went by a different name.

Oldham County Police say in Canada, a man with the same birthday, same routine and same description pulled a knife on a 17-year-old and tried to make that teenager engage in sex acts in 2002.

According to in his nearly 100 page personnel file covering his time employed with Trimble County Schools, he began working for that district in Aug. 2014, when he was hired as a math teacher for the 2014-15 school year.

In 2015, records show he changed his name from C G Micaelo Mascardo Balingit to Michael Mascardo.

That same year, a letter shows Mascardo resigned from Trimble County Schools and accepted a job with JCPS. WDRB is still waiting on Mascardo's personnel file from JCPS.

"He's a teacher at JCPS, which has also taken action against him in terms of the assurance and safety and welfare of everyone involved," Pharr said.

The arrest warrant for the charges in Jefferson County doesn't say where in Louisville the five separate incidents took place, but police say one happened on JCPS property sometime in April 2022.

Mascardo also faces eight sexual abuse charges in Oldham County for incidents in parking lots of gas stations, a Subway restaurant and a warehouse. Police there say, he would have a map, ask for directions, then grope the men while they were sitting in their cars.

"All of the shoes have dropped on this," Pharr said. "These misdemeanor cases are all that will be arising on this event, so I'm asking the court to let his husband post $2,500 to secure his release."

"We're happy to continue reporting to pre-trial services," Pharr added.

Judge Moore agreed to lower Mascardo's bond.

"I'm going to set the bond at $2,500 if posted to the home incarceration program and comply with pre-trial services, including a mental health assessment ordered on this case as well," she said.

But she refused Pharr's request that Mascardo be granted work release, "based on the finding of danger and risk to the community."

Carolyn Callahan, a spokeswoman for JCPS, says Mascardo is no longer in the classroom.

"We continue to follow our process," she said. "Mr. Mascardo is working from an off-site, remote location and has no contact with JCPS students or staff other than his supervisor."

But Mascardo's attorney says he has no plans to quit his job.

"He's intending to maintain his employment unless that decision is made for him," Pharr said.

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Judge lowers bond for JCPS teacher accused of groping adult men