:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-cmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/M74CRVMGJGM7WRO6H66A64DYLU.jpg)
BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts' highest court has ruled that a former high school teacher convicted of child pornography charges can keep his retirement benefits.
The Supreme Judicial Court ruled Monday that Ronald T. Garney should still receive benefits of nearly $2,400 a month because his crimes were not connected to his former job. He was a ninth-grade science teacher in Amherst and was arrested in 2006 for the purchase and possession of child pornography.
Garney pleaded guilty in December 2007 to purchasing and possessing child pornography after authorities found images of child pornography and videos on his home computer.
He was sentenced to 2½ to 3 years and ordered to register as a sex offender.
The Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System gave him benefits until 2009 and later ruled he forfeited his benefits because of his crimes.
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/AQ4YBTMC3NEENFBRU2QSTLF2MA.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/HI2HKCBXTVB7XGR6DSBPUOFZRU.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/JGDHAKDFQRCHNO26FBQ54HYDMI.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/3YKT4PWELFH35LJJSL6WBKITWA.PNG)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/MU3ADZDPUE6FVPXE3FBCQ7VYEQ.jpg)