Ogden teacher cleared, but questions remain

A police investigation has cleared an Ogden High School teacher, who authorities say is living with a former student, of any criminal wrongdoing.

But detectives uncovered evidence of "inappropriate relationships" between the 47-year-old educator and as many as six female students since 2000, said Ogden Police Lt. Scott Conley.

"He used his position as an educator and instructor of local youth as a resource pool to generate these relationships," Conley said.

The teacher employed almost identical means to insinuate himself into the students' lives, engaging the girls in the same conversations and activities he had used in past relationships, according to Conley. These tactics allowed the man to become a "friend and close associate" of the students, the lieutenant said, and he seemed to select girls who would turn 18 during their senior year.

"It would develop into other activities after the age of 18," Conley said, declining to say specifically whether those activities included sexual contact.

"He found something that worked for him and continued to use it," Conley said. "There were no criminal charges that could be filed for his actions. That's not to say there were not violations of policy."

Detectives interviewed past students believed to have been involved with the teacher, many of whom agreed to talk under a promise of anonymity.

"We'd talk to one and they'd lead us to another one," Conley said. "It amazes me that no one has come forward on this individual prior to this."

Conley noted that police also contacted parents of past students during their investigation and were told they kept their children close whenever the man was around because he made them uncomfortable. And some of the women allegedly involved with the teacher told detectives they suffered ridicule from classmates over how close they were with the man, which prevented them from establishing normal peer relationships.

Information about the teacher's alleged involvement with a woman who is a recent graduate of Ogden High was brought to police and the Ogden City School District by a news outlet in October, following a tip from a reader.

Police were told the woman would have been 16 or 17 when the alleged relationship with the teacher started about two years ago, Conley said.

The teacher's name is not being released. He has taught in the district for about 14 years and remains on paid administrative leave.

Police have turned over the results of their investigation to school district officials.

The district's administrative investigation into the teacher's conduct is ongoing, said Ogden Schools spokeswoman Donna Corby.

Corby would not provide a timeline for when that probe is expected to be complete and declined to comment on the police department's findings.

Conley said although the criminal investigation is closed, it can be reopened if someone comes forward with new evidence that points to illegal activity by the teacher.

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