May 11, 2018 - 3:47 PM
MONTREAL - The Montreal-based National Circus School announced Friday it has suspended one of its teachers who has been arrested and charged with sexual crimes that allegedly involved a minor.
Marcelo Berti Marques was charged Thursday with luring a child, invitation to sexual touching, possession of child pornography and making sexually explicit material available to a child.
Marques allegedly committed the crimes against a former circus school student.
The school said in a statement published on its website Friday it learned of his arrest through the media.
"The entire school community is profoundly shocked and upset by this news, and our thoughts are with our former student," the statement read. "Front-line services have been deployed to provide support to students and staff at the school."
Marques joined the school in August 2016, the statement indicated, and has been "immediately suspended from his position and will remain so until further notice."
The school said it would not make any further public statements on the case as it is before the courts.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2018