MA INDEPENDENT WRESTLING PERSONALITY DARREN BENEDICK ARRESTED FOLLOWING STING OPERATION, ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTED TO MEET UNDERAGE GIRL (UPDATED)

Boston Channel 25 reported last night that local teacher Darren Benedick, better known on the local independent scene as Reginal Kensington III, who most recently was doing commentary for Chaotic Wrestling, was charged with one count of child enticement and one count of dissemination of matter harmful to minors. 

Benedick was allegedly snared in a sting operation attempting to meet who he believed was a 14 year old girl he was chatting with online, only it was an undercover police operation.  Benedick works as a teacher at the Salem Academy Charter School, teaching health and physical education.  The school has placed him on administrative leave.

"Today we received word that Chaotic commentator Darren Benedick was arrested on charges of child enticement and dissemination of matter harmful to minors. Chaotic has a strict Zero Tolerance Policy and terminated all dealings with him immediately.

It is an unfortunate reality that this type of behavior has been prevalent in the history of the industry. Chaotic Wrestling stands resolute in the effort to cultivate a safe environment and will continue to take active steps to steer the business into a better future."

Bennedick's social media also lists himself as a Coach for The New England Pro Wrestling Academy.  The NEPWA website does not list him as such.  The Academy has posted the same verbiage as Chaotic on their Facebook page.

The Essex County District Attorney's Office issued the following:

Salem Teacher Charged Following Undercover Investigation into Child Exploitation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SALEM, Mass. – July 3, 2024 – Gym and health teacher Darren Benedick, 42, of Salem was arraigned in Newburyport District Court on Wednesday afternoon following a sting operation in which he allegedly made plans to meet an underaged girl for a sexual encounter, apparently unaware that the person he was communicating with online was not a 14-year-old girl but rather an undercover Newbury Police Department officer who had been monitoring a “teens-only” chat room.

The arrest was made by Newbury Police with assistance from the Salem Police Department. Benedick, who is employed at Salem Academy Charter School, was charged with one count of child enticement and one count of dissemination of matter harmful to minors. At this time, authorities have no allegations that any students at the school were subject to the defendant’s alleged misconduct, according to Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker, Newbury Police Chief Patricia Fisher, and Salem Police Chief Lucas Miller.

The defendant is alleged to have engaged in online conversations with the undercover officer expressing a desire to meet in person and engage in sexual activities, to have sent an obscene image to the officer, and to have described the sex acts that he wished to perform. A meeting was set for Wednesday, July 3 and the defendant was taken into custody upon arrival for the intended encounter.

Newbury Deputy Chief Aaron Wojtkowski, a member of the Massachusetts Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, served as lead investigator on the case. At the arraignment, the Commonwealth requested a cash bail of $50,000 with GPS monitoring, home confinement, and no contact with children. The court set bail at $5,000 and granted the non-monetary terms, including the no contact with children order. District Attorney Tucker, Chief Miller, and Chief Fisher advise parents and guardians to engage youth in age-appropriate discussions about proper online and social media behavior, and to encourage them to speak up if they encounter inappropriate contact from an adult.

All suspects and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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