Chaffee teacher faces misdemeanor assault charge after student reported inappropriate touching

A Chaffee High School teacher and assistant football coach has been charged with misdemeanor assault after a student alleged he touched her buttocks.

Court records show Todd Cabral, 50, faces a misdemeanor fourth-degree assault charge against a special victim. A student reported the alleged assault to a teacher Nov. 15, the same day the alleged incident occurred.

In an interview with Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence, the victim said Cabral touched her backside while the two were at his desk, according to a probable-cause statement prepared by Scott County Sheriff's Office detective Eric Dunn.

Chaffee School District superintendent Brad Blackman provided a statement on behalf of the district.

"In November 2021, the district received an allegation from a student that a district employee had touched the student inappropriately," the statement read. "The same day, the district apprised local law enforcement of the allegation and began an internal investigation into the matter."

The statement continued, "The employee was removed from the district and is no longer serving his roles at the district."

In the course of the investigation, Cabral initially said the touching was unintentional but later acknowledged it was intentional, according to a probable-cause statement.

Cabral was arrested Jan. 25. Court records show his $10,000 bond was posted the same day.

A plea of not guilty was entered Feb. 8.