Image copyright Sesame Street Image caption Barry Morphew says he was wrongly labelled as a sexual predator
A former Sesame Street character has vowed to sue the US District Attorney of New York for defamation after he was wrongly branded a sex offender by authorities.
Barry Morphew, who played the character Hook on the children’s show, was released from jail last year.
The 30-year-old was in custody in 2016 for having an illicit contact with a 14-year-old girl.
Morphew claims prosecutors wrongly linked him to the crime with DNA evidence.
“My mission is to expose the corruption within the DA’s office,” he said in a statement.
“If I lose in court, I will make sure that my personal liberty and reputation are not compromised in the future.”
Morphew’s case will be heard by a New York Appeals Court on 8 September.
Image copyright Sesame Street Image caption Barry Morphew played the roles of a bouncer and a teacher on Sesame Street
The fake teacher was featured on popular US children’s show Sesame Street between 2008 and 2011.
He was arrested in December 2016 after allegations surfaced that he had texted the girl after she turned 14.
While in custody, he was accused of having sexual contact with another underage female – further linking him to the case.
At a trial last year, prosecutors said the girl’s mother, who also worked on the show, had sent him 40 Facebook messages after she found a phone number and email address she recognised from the mens’ former union.
She told the court she had sent them details of the child and worked to corroborate the alleged contact between him and the girl, according to the trial’s jury.
Image copyright Mega Image caption Barry Morphew played the role of Hook on Sesame Street
Morphew also denies having any sexual contact with the student.
He had acted as a bouncer on the show, and also went by the names Winston and Al.
On Twitter, a follower wrote: “What a story! And what an athlete too… Look out… Look out!”
