Teacher is arrested
Robert Richards, a popular band director at Columbia High School, has been charged by Columbia and West Hempfield Township Police with having sex with a 17-year-old female student.
The student was 16-years-old when the incidents happened.
Richards, 33, following his arraignment Monday afternoon before District Judge Robert Herman, was placed in Lancaster County Prison, in lieu of $175,000 bail, following his arraignment and processing.
Richards was bailed out of prison late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
Columbia School District Superintendent Dr. Barry Clippinger said in a statement Monday night, that Richards was placed on administrative leave, pending farther action by the Columbia School Board. The board holds its Committee of the Whole meeting tonight.
“Mr. Richards is on paid leave until the Board can take action and since this is a personnel issue the district can make no further comments,” Dr. Clippinger said.
Richards was arrested Monday afternoon around 4 p.m. at the Columbia School District Administrative Center, where police said, he was meeting with school district officials. He was taken out of the building by the two police departments in handcuffs, taken first to the Columbia Police Station for processing and then to Judge Herman’s office for arraignment.
Judge Herman has tentatively scheduled a preliminary hearing for Thursday, April 17 at 1 p.m.
Police said Richards, who was dressed in a blue suit with a light blue shirt and tie, made no comment at the time of his arrest and did not have a lawyer present.He was at the DAC for a meeting with the school district administration and representatives from the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
Columbia Police started their investigation into allegations against Richards, of 3808 Laurel Run, located in West Hempfield Township last week and it intensified over the weekend.
Officer Adam Miller, who was in charge of the investigation for the Columbia Police Department, spent most of the day Monday with Assistant District Attorney Karen Mansfield finalizing the charges against Richards.
Richards, who came to Columbia High School in August 2005, was charged with one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and one count of corruption of minors by Columbia Police.
According to the criminal complaints, Richards was charged with three counts each of aggravated indecent sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault and statutory sexual assault by West Hempfield Township Police Detective Christopher Kunkle.
Columbia Police Officer Miller said in the criminal complaint that he interviewed the victim on April 6. During the interview, the victim indicated she had a sexual relationship with Richards, who is married with young children, during the month of April 2007.
One of the encounters, police said, was in what was identified as the “projection room,” at the high school. The victim told police that Richards placed an office chair in the projection room, which is located in the high school auditorium, at which time the band director performed oral sex on her.
The other incidents, police said, allegedly took place at Richards’ home at 3808 Laurel Run in West Hempfield Township.
Det. Kunkle said he was advised by Officer Miller of an ongoing relationship between Richards and the girl on Sunday, April 7.
In the criminal complaint, West Hempfield Township Police said the first encounter between the two was at Richards’ home in April 2007. At that time, the complaint said that Richards and the girls engaged in oral sex and did have sexual intercourse at that time.
There were two other incidents reported to police. The second was in May 2007 and also in November 2007, also at Richards’ home.
Richards is the second band director in Lancaster County to be charged in connection with a sexual incident involving a student.
Warwick High School band director Todd Shearer was charged by Lititz Police in January for having a two-year relationship with a student.
He was fired last month by the Warwick School District and faces a preliminary hearing later this month on the charges.
The student was 16-years-old when the incidents happened.
Richards, 33, following his arraignment Monday afternoon before District Judge Robert Herman, was placed in Lancaster County Prison, in lieu of $175,000 bail, following his arraignment and processing.
Richards was bailed out of prison late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
Columbia School District Superintendent Dr. Barry Clippinger said in a statement Monday night, that Richards was placed on administrative leave, pending farther action by the Columbia School Board. The board holds its Committee of the Whole meeting tonight.
“Mr. Richards is on paid leave until the Board can take action and since this is a personnel issue the district can make no further comments,” Dr. Clippinger said.
Richards was arrested Monday afternoon around 4 p.m. at the Columbia School District Administrative Center, where police said, he was meeting with school district officials. He was taken out of the building by the two police departments in handcuffs, taken first to the Columbia Police Station for processing and then to Judge Herman’s office for arraignment.
Judge Herman has tentatively scheduled a preliminary hearing for Thursday, April 17 at 1 p.m.
Police said Richards, who was dressed in a blue suit with a light blue shirt and tie, made no comment at the time of his arrest and did not have a lawyer present.He was at the DAC for a meeting with the school district administration and representatives from the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
Columbia Police started their investigation into allegations against Richards, of 3808 Laurel Run, located in West Hempfield Township last week and it intensified over the weekend.
Officer Adam Miller, who was in charge of the investigation for the Columbia Police Department, spent most of the day Monday with Assistant District Attorney Karen Mansfield finalizing the charges against Richards.
Richards, who came to Columbia High School in August 2005, was charged with one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and one count of corruption of minors by Columbia Police.
According to the criminal complaints, Richards was charged with three counts each of aggravated indecent sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault and statutory sexual assault by West Hempfield Township Police Detective Christopher Kunkle.
Columbia Police Officer Miller said in the criminal complaint that he interviewed the victim on April 6. During the interview, the victim indicated she had a sexual relationship with Richards, who is married with young children, during the month of April 2007.
One of the encounters, police said, was in what was identified as the “projection room,” at the high school. The victim told police that Richards placed an office chair in the projection room, which is located in the high school auditorium, at which time the band director performed oral sex on her.
The other incidents, police said, allegedly took place at Richards’ home at 3808 Laurel Run in West Hempfield Township.
Det. Kunkle said he was advised by Officer Miller of an ongoing relationship between Richards and the girl on Sunday, April 7.
In the criminal complaint, West Hempfield Township Police said the first encounter between the two was at Richards’ home in April 2007. At that time, the complaint said that Richards and the girls engaged in oral sex and did have sexual intercourse at that time.
There were two other incidents reported to police. The second was in May 2007 and also in November 2007, also at Richards’ home.
Richards is the second band director in Lancaster County to be charged in connection with a sexual incident involving a student.
Warwick High School band director Todd Shearer was charged by Lititz Police in January for having a two-year relationship with a student.
He was fired last month by the Warwick School District and faces a preliminary hearing later this month on the charges.
Labels: Columbia School District, teacher charged
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