Archive for the ‘Indiana’ Category
(10/07/09 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)
Christopher Wheat, 36, an assistant swim coach at Lawrence North High School in Lawrence Township, Indiana has reportedly been arrested on allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor.
It is alleged that Wheat kissed and fondled a 14-year-old Lawrence North High School student and swim team member. Reportedly, Wheat who also coaches the Lawrence Swim Team, a non-profit organization that competes in swim matches, has coached the girl since she was 11.
A police spokesman has indicated that Wheat was handcuffed and arrested at the Northside high school’s swimming pool on Monday and that Wheat did not admit any wrongdoing.
Investigators said the inappropriate touching began about five weeks ago, and that the girl’s parents noticed a change in their daughter’s behavior before she told them what had happened.
Reportedly, Wheat is suspended without pay from his job as an assistant swim coach at Lawrence North High School.
Following his arrest, bond for Wheat was set in the amount of $30,000 bond and he was subsequently freed on bond.
(02/08/10 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)
Dawn Marie Schwartzengraber, 37, a government/economics, history and psychology teacher at Camden-Frontier High School in Camden, Michigan has reportedly been arrested on allegations of a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old male student.
Reportedly, Schwartzengraber was arrested on a charge of sexual misconduct with a minor.
Schwartzengraber came to the attention of Michigan State Police by way of a complaint from the parents of the alleged victim, although the complaint was reportedly not of a sexual nature.
During the course of the investigation by Michigan State Police, the alleged two-year long sexual relationship was discovered.
It is alleged that the sexual activity took place in Schwartzengraber’s residence and along roadways in both Indiana and Michigan.
Schwartzengraber, a resident of Angola, Indiana, was arrested by Indiana State Police at the request of Michigan State Police and following her arrest was subsequently released on bond.
09/08/10 – Trial Delayed
The trial of Dawn Marie Schwartzengraber, scheduled to start today, has been postponed to November 3rd.
The delay was reportedly due to lack of jurors, owing to a problem with the mail delivery service used by Hillsdale County to notify persons selected for jury duty.
References:
Lack of jurors causes postponement of Schwartzengraber trial (09/08/10)
Teacher arrested for sexual misconduct (02/08/10)
Camden-Frontier Schools Web Site
Stephen Rokop, 27, a former freshmen boys basketball coach and a special education paraprofessional at Washington High School in South Bend, Indiana has reportedly been charged on allegations of having sex with a then 15-year-old female teenage student.
Reportedly, Rokop is charged with three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, and two counts of child seduction.
At at initial hearing for Rokop, the court scheduled Rokop’s trial to begin on September 13th. His plea deadline was set for July 27 and a record hearing was scheduled for Aug. 31.
The court lowered Rokop’s bond, originally set at $30,000 to $5,000.
Prosecutors say that Rokop started the relationship with the girl last fall. The alleged victim, now 16, has since transferred to another school.
Reportedly, Rokop was fired by the school system in February.
03/30/10 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)
Mark Hay, 58, a teacher at Twin Lakes High School in Monticello, Indiana has reportedly been arrested and charged on allegations of fondling a female student over a two-year period.
Reportedly, Hay is charged with child seduction, a Class D felony. He turned himself in at the White County Sheriff’s Department about noon on Monday.
Following his arrest, Hay was taken into custody and incarcerated in the White County Jail until subsequently released on $2,500 surety bond.
According to Indiana State Trooper Detective Jim Cody, the alleged incidents occurred on school property during school hours between March 2007 through May of 2009. At the time of the alleged offenses the girl was 16 to 18 years-old.
Hay is the second teacher in the Twin Lakes School Corporation that has been charged with child seduction this year. Roosevelt Middle School teacher Scott Hardy was arrested for alleged improper contact with a 16-year-old girl in January and faces two felony counts of child seduction.
Reportedly, Hay was been suspended from teaching duties pending formal charges and thereafter submitted his resignation, with intent to retire on March 12.
(06/12/09 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)
Lee Tibbetts, 33, a math teacher at John Marshall Community High School in Indianapolis, Indiana has reportedly been arrested on allegations of child molestation in a case alleging two male students as victims.
Reportedly, Tibbetts was arrested on five counts of child molestation and one count of child solicitation involving a second student.
It is alleged that a 13-year-old boy told police that he was repeatedly molested by Tibbetts in classrooms at the school and that the teacher threatened to flunk him if he ever told anyone.
A second boy claims that he was solicited for sex by Tibbetts.
Investigators are also looking into how the situation was handled by a female teacher when the 13-year-old allegedly told her about the alleged sexual abuse back in March and how a school administrator allegedly scorned Tibbetts after finding him and the boy in a locked classroom, but never suspected misconduct.
Tibbetts came to the attention of police by way of a tip on May 21st.
Tibbetts arrest came after three weeks of investigation and detectives believe there is a possibility of other victims coming forward.
(07/23/10 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)
Tracey pace, 33, a former a culinary arts teacher at Bluffton High School in Bluffton, Indiana has reported pleaded guilty to one count of Sexual Misconduct with a Minor and one count of Dissemination of Material Harmful to a Minor.
The felony offenses occurred back in 2007, before Pace was a teacher at the Bluffton High School.
The charges to which Pace pleaded guilty allegedly involved deviate sexual conduct with a child between the ages of 14 and 16-years-old.
It was also alleged that Pace knowingly dispersed matter with pornographic photographs harmful to minors.
As a result of her plea, Pace will be sentenced to four years in prison, with two years suspended to be followed by four years of probation.
08/16/10 – Sentencing
Reportedly, Tracey Pace has been sentenced to four years in prison, with two years suspended on the Sexual Misconduct with a Minor charge.
She was sentenced to one year on the Dissemination of Material Harmful to a Minor charge.
The sentences are to run concurrently. Once her sentences are completed, Pace will be on probation for four years.
Reference:
Former teacher to serve 2 years behind bars for sex charges (08/16/10)
Fmr. teacher gets 4 years for sex charges (07/23/10)