A Haverhill School Committee member has been charged with allegedly harassing a teenager, according to court records.

Cheryl Ferguson was arraigned Wednesday in Haverhill District Court and faces charges of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 years of age or older. According to the police report WBZ NewsFerguson was arrested at his home Tuesday evening following the alleged incident.

Ferguson allegedly told young victim: ‘You’re scary’

WBZ said the alleged victim was standing outside the 7-Eleven on Dudley Street in Haverhill wearing a Halloween mask when Ferguson approached her and allegedly groped her buttocks. He then entered the store, but when he came out again, he allegedly ran his hands over the teenager’s chest.

The teenager’s mother reported the alleged incident to the police; Police arrived at Ferguson’s home for questioning later that evening. Ferguson told police he was playing Keno at 7-Eleven and as he was leaving the store, he poked the victim in the chest and said, “You’re scary,” WBZ News reported. Police later arrested him, according to court documents.

Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett and Superintendent Margaret Marotta said in a joint statement that police notified them of the accusations on Wednesday.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to restrict the member’s access to school facilities and are taking other precautionary measures until further notice,” the joint statement said. “The safety of our students is our first priority”

They refused to comment on the allegations due to their criminal nature.

Ferguson pleaded not guilty in court on Wednesday. Judge Susan McNeil released Ferguson without bail, according to court documents. As part of the conditions of his release, Ferguson must abide by a curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. and wear a GPS tracking device during that period. The terms also stipulate that Ferguson cannot have contact with minors.

Ferguson has a previous criminal record

Court records show Ferguson was previously indicted four other times.

In 2006, he was accused of driving while intoxicated and violating marked lanes. These accusations were later dismissed.

In 2018, he was charged with driving while impaired by alcohol for the second time. Ferguson was paroled. He pleaded not guilty to driving an uninsured vehicle in September 2019. Both cases were dismissed upon request of the Commonwealth.

He faced assault and battery charges in late 2019. As a result, he remained on probation from January 28, 2021 to April 20, 2021.

Ferguson’s representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

---

Eva Levin is Boston.com’s general assignment co-op. Covering breaking and local news from Boston and beyond.

---