(9/6/07 – Initial BBT Report)

James M. Goodbrad, 26, a former first-grade teacher at McNeal Elementary School, in Bradenton, Florida pleaded guilty last week to lewd or lascivious molestation of a 15-year-old Manatee High School male student.

Reportedly, Goodbrad was a “father figure” to the victim and Goodbrad would often allow the boy to spend the night, and the two hung out often.

One night in January Goodbrad molested the boy, who had fallen asleep in Goodbrad’s home after watching TV and playing video games.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 31 and Goodbrad is facing between about 4 and 15 years in prison.

Reportedly the victim told his mother about the molestation. She in turn told a youth pastor, who with two other pastors confronted Goodbrad at which time Goodbrad allegedly admitted groping the boy during the weekend sleep over.

10/31/07 – Sentencing

James M. Goodbrad has been sentenced.

Prosecutor Cynthia Evers recommended to the judge that Goodbrad spend 51 months in prison while Goodbrad’s attorney asked the judge to sentence his client to two years of house arrest.

Circuit Judge Janette Dunnigan did neither and sentenced Goodbrad to one year in jail, 50 hours of community service and five years of sex-offender probation.

References:

Former teacher gets 1 year in jail (10/31/07)

A former teacher in Manatee admits he molested a boy (9/15/07)

(8/23/07 – Initial BBT Report)

Curtis Neal Buell, 26, a former chemistry teacher at Churchill High School, in Eugene, Oregon has been found guilty of 15 counts of sexual abuse of two 17 year old female students. The sexual abuse occurred during the 2005 and 2006 school years

Buell was accused of touching the girls over and under their clothing, performing oral sex on one girl and having a girl touch his genitals. Police indicate that the vast majority of the sexual abuse took place at the school but that one incident happened at his home.

After a day of deliberation the jury found Buell guilty of 11 counts of sex abuse in the third degree and four counts of sex abuse in the second degree.

Sentencing is set for October 17th following a pre-sentencing investigation. The second degree counts carry a maximum five-year prison term each and the third degree counts carry a maximum term of one year each.

Buell will be required to register as a sex offender.

Buell, who worked at Churchill for three years and who also taught drama and coached club volleyball, was placed on administrative leave in October of last year when Eugene detectives began their investigation after one girl shared some details with her boyfriend, he told his parents, and they contacted authorities.

He resigned from his job as chemistry teacher, effective January 31. Buell was arrested in Camas, Washington where he was working in a cabinet shop. Buell waived extradition back to Eugene to face the charges.

10/31/07 – Sentencing

Lane County Judge Gregory Foote on Tuesday sentenced Buell to two years in prison, five years supervised probation and ordered that Buell must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Buell came to the attention of authorities when one of the girls shared some details with her boyfriend who told his parents, and they contacted school administrators and police.

At Buell’s sentencing, Judge Foote thanked the boy for having the courage to report the abuse.

Erik Hasselman, deputy district attorney in Lane County, said of Buell’s relationship with the victims, “The crime’s particularly egregious because parents just don’t send their kids to school to be abused or taken advantage of by their teachers. Although it could be argued that the contact was consensual, the balance of power is so disparate between a teacher and students that it’s hard to conclude these young ladies had the same power to say no as they would have had in a traditional relationship.”

References:

Eugene chemistry teacher sentenced to prison for sex abuse (10/31/07)

Former Eugene teacher convicted of sexually abusing students (8/23/07)

Background:

Churchill students alleged abuse victims

(10/31/07 – Initial BBT Report)

Gregory Scott Nelson, 44, a former Hawley, Minnesota high school wrestling coach who previously pleaded guilty to one count of misconduct of a public official and one count of making obscene or harassing phone calls has been sentenced.

Nelson was sentenced to 90 days in jail, was ordered to pay fines and fees totaling $1,582 and was ordered not to have unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18 pending the findings of a psychological evaluation.

Nelson was charged earlier this year with sending inappropriate text messages to two female student managers of the wrestling team he coached and of purchasing a lingerie gift certificate for one of them. He was also accused of inviting the two girls, ages 16 and 17-years-old to consume alcohol with him.

Among the text messages Nelson was accused of sending to one of the girls, was “Then I can see you, you little hottie!” and “All you need is an older, more experienced guy that would appreciate you!“.

At sentencing Nelson told the judge, “What I did was stupid and irresponsible.”

The judge in sentencing him reportedly told Nelson, “It was more than stupid and irresponsible, it was criminal”.

Reference:

Ex-coach sentenced to 90 days (10/30/07)

Background:

Former coach pleads guilty (9/28/07)