TAUNTON - When she heard rumors that a 15-year-old dance student at her Norton studio was having sex with one of her instructors, Melissa McCarthy took action to sort it all out.

McCarthy, owner of Art in Motion Academy of Dance, confronted the girl and Keith Sampson in April 2005 when the rumors came to her attention.

During Sampson's trial on charges of statutory rape, McCarthy testified she was a mentor to the girl and was able to get the student to tell her what happened before confronting Sampson alone at her condominium.

The girl and her mother reported the incident to police shortly after a meeting with McCarthy and Sampson. During that meeting, Sampson just shrugged and shook his head when confronted with the allegations, according to trial testimony.

McCarthy was praised by the girl's father for her persistence in ferreting out the rumors after Sampson was found guilty Thursday. "She was fabulous. She was on the up-and-up, and got to the bottom of what was going on. If it wasn't for her, it might never have surfaced," the victim's father said.

"This guy is a real predator. He works on children," the father said, adding that he hopes Sampson will be found guilty in a separate rape case involving another 15-year-old girl he met at a dance studio in Rhode Island.

McCarthy, who wept with the victim and her mother after the verdict was read, said she has been in business for seven years and the safety of children is her top concern.

"It's very important when dealing with children to take all the precautions you can," McCarthy said, adding that her studio has surveillance cameras.

The girl met Sampson at the studio, but the incidents did not occur at the business.

McCarthy said parents should check out dance studios and the set-up before enrolling their children.

The girl's father told reporters that after Sampson was charged, he sent letters to Denise's Dance and Exercise Studio in Johnston, R.I., warning about the allegations against Sampson.

But owner Denise DiPippo, who said Sampson's dance company, Attitudes in Motion, rented space from her until his arrest Dec. 29, said she received no letters or warnings from anyone.

"If I did so, he would never have taught here. I've run a very, very professional dance studio here for 30 years," DiPippo said in a telephone interview.

"I never heard anything like that. I would never jeopardize my students. Never. I love my students," DiPippo said. She said she was "devastated" when she learned Sampson was arrested last month for allegedly bringing a 15-year-old student he met at her studio to his mother's South Easton condominium and raping her after giving her alcohol.

She said the alleged victim in that case still works with younger dancers at her studio, and she did not know about the previous charges against Sampson.

"The authorities should have followed him," DiPippo said. "I'm upset. I never received any phone calls or any letters."