School Employee Charged With Child Solicitation

PORTSMOUTH, RI — An employee of Portsmouth's Bradley School was arrested and charged with indecently soliciting a child on the Internet, according to a press release from the Rhode Island State Police. The investigation also resulted in drug charges.

Douglas Marcel, 32, of East Main Road in Portsmouth, "engaged in a series of communications with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old female" from Pennsylvania, the release says. Now he's facing charges of indecent solicitation of a child and electronically disseminating indecent material to a minor.

In December 2018, police allege, Marcel, a classroom behavioral specialist, spoke with the person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl and the conversation "quickly became sexually explicit."

Police say there is currently no reason to believe any students at Bradley School have been victimized.

While police were executing their search warrant of Marcel's residence, at 3266 East Main Rd., they found him and his girlfriend, Kaytlin Rogala, 30.

During the search, police found suspected heroin and paraphernalia used in the delivery of heroin. They seized those materials and both Marcel and Rogala were charged with possession of heroin with intent to deliver.

They also seized digital files in connection with the child exploitation investigation into Marcel, the release says.

The couple has been held without bail.

See the Newport Daily News article for booking photos.

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