Coach Monti accused in suit

Feb. 26—A legendary Niagara Falls High School basketball coach and teacher has been accused of sexually preying on one his students.

The claims, made against Patrick "Pat" Monti, are contained in a New York Child Victims Act lawsuit and include allegations of rape as well as sexual assault and sexually battery.

The Niagara Falls City School District is also named as a defendant in the case.

Monti is one of close to half a dozen former Falls School District teachers to be sued under the state's Child Victims Act. The victim in his case is described as a woman in her 50s, who says she had a sexual relationship with Monti while he served as a teacher and coach at the former LaSalle High School.

According to the lawsuit, filed by Falls attorney Paul Barr, the victim attended LaSalle High from 1981 to 1984. The victim says her sexual abuse began when she was about 14 years old and continued until she was 16.

The suit alleges that Monti "singled (her) out during schools hours for special attention, compliments and other 'grooming' behaviors aimed a promoting a sexual relationship with her." The lawsuit claims that behavior led to "unpermitted, coercive, and harmful sexual contact" including rape.

"Initially he was forcing himself on her," Barr said. "And gradually she acquiesced."

In addition to leading Falls high school basketball teams to state championships in both the 1980s and 1990s, Barr said Monti also coached girls softball and that the victim in his case was a member of those teams.

"He had all kinds of access to this kid," Barr said.

That access also allegedly included taking his victim to adult league softball games to watch a team, sponsored by a local pizzeria, and whose roster was largely made up of players who were Falls School District teachers.

"(The Falls teachers) would go out to the (sponsoring) bar after the game and they were buying this student drinks," Barr said. "(Monti) treated her like his girlfriend for three years. Like an adult girlfriend and she was 14, 15."

Barr said Monti's alleged actions, and those of other teachers being sued under the Child Victims Act, amounted to a "culture of preying on young girls" in the Falls School District.

"It was ignored, condoned or supported by other teachers in the district," Barr said.

The suit claims the victim "has suffered and continues to suffer great physical and mental pain and anguish, severe and permanent emotional distress, psychological injuries, depression and anxiety." The lawsuit asks for compensatory and punitive damages against both Monti and the Falls School District.

Monti did not immediately respond to email and voicemail messages seeking comment on the claims made in the lawsuit.

The school district declined to comment on the case beyond confirming that Monti once worked at LaSalle High.

"We received the (lawsuit) filing late (Monday)," Schools Superintendent Mark Laurrie said. "Mr. Monti was a teacher and coach in the district at that time period and that's all I can say."

Barr, however, praised the "courage" of his client in coming forward with her claims against a coach who is a member of the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame.

"We've got our own little #MeToo movement going on with the Niagara Falls Board of Education," he said.