(6/12/07 - Initial BBT Report)

George Krenz, a 30-year-old former 9th-grade science and social studies teacher at Hot Springs High School in Hot Springs, South Dakota was arraigned last Friday on three counts of fourth-degree rape, one count of sexual contact with a person younger than 16, and an alternate count of second-degree rape along with eight counts of providing alcohol to minors.

The alleged victims are 15 and 16 year-old students and the crimes are alleged to have taken place in late March and early April of this year and involve allegations that Krenz provided alcohol to the minors and then had sex with them in his home.

Krenz pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and requested a reduction in his $100,000 bond in order that he might return to Minnesota to live with his wife. The bond reduction request was denied.

Krenz started work in the Hot Springs School District at the start of the 2006-2007 school year and resigned on May 8.

His next court appearance is set for July 13th.

Update 7/14/07:

A court hearing was held on 7/13/07 on defense motions to inspect school records to determine if any of the alleged victims had psychological sessions. The judge ruled if any such records exist they will be reviewed behind closed doors.

12/21/07 - Guilty Plea

In a plea deal with the Fall River County State’s Attorney Krenz pleaded guilty today to one count of felony sexual contact with a person under the age of 16 and eight counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor.

Krenz is scheduled for sentencing on January 18 and faces up to 23 years incarceration and $46,000 in fines.

1/18/08 - Sentencing

Today George Krenz was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

This was the maximum sentence possible for felony sexual contact with a person under the age of 16 and the punishment requested by the state’s attorney.

Krenz was also sentenced to eight years on eight counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor.

References:

Hot Springs Teacher Gets Fifteen Years (1/18/08)

Former teacher gets 15 years for sex crime (1/18/08)

Former YME teacher gets 15 years in prison (1/18/08)

Former teacher pleads guilty to sex crime (12/21/07)

Former teacher accused of sex crimes appears in court (7/14/07)

Krenz pleads not guilty to sex-crime charges

Former teacher faces rape charges

More charges filed against former teacher

Stanton Day, 65, of Summerset, South Dakota, a former Meade County school bus driver charged in March with molesting a 10-year-old girl pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual contact with a child younger than 16 and three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Day was originally charged with six counts of first-degree rape and one count of sexual contact with a child younger than 16.

Day, who had been a bus driver for the Meade School District for 15 years, said the sexual contact took place twice in his parked bus between September 2006 and March 2007.

Day faces up to 36 years in prison when sentenced on August 27th.

A pre-sentencing bond of $15,000 cash or surety was set for Day and if he bonds out pending sentencing he must be constantly supervised by his wife or two sons and can have no contact with anyone younger than 16 except for family members.

References:

School bus driver pleads guilty to molesting girl (Be sure and check out the reader forum comments below article)

Driver pleads guilty to molesting girl on school bus

Bus Driver Pleads Guilty To Molesting Girl (7/10/07)