A Pennsylvania high school principal was arrested and charged with more than 30 sexual offenses for an inappropriate sexual relationship he had with a male student for a period of seven years.
Roger Weaver Freed, 34, was charged Tuesday with 30 counts of indecent sexual contact with a student, one of sexual assault, one of aggravated assault, one of corruption of a minor and three misdemeanors of supply of alcohol to a minor. , according to court records.
Police said Freed began a relationship with the student, who is now in college age, in 2015 when the boy was in high school. The relationship turned sexual two years later and continued after the student graduated from high school until a few months ago, when it ended in April, according to an affidavit.
The student told investigators that he first approached Freed after the death of a family member. He began relying on the educator for emotional support and said he “trusted Free‘ like a big brother ’,” the document says.
Their relationship soon turned into times outside of school, with Freed volunteering to give students trips to various places so they could have “individual conversations”.
Freed works as a principal at Williamsport Area High School. Google Maps
The student said he viewed the educator and himself as “brothers” and said they could talk about anything, including their sexuality. Police said they usually sent text messages, called and made FaceTime.
In 2017, Freed and the student’s relationship became sexual and the principal asked the child to promise not to tell anyone, stressing that he could lose his job.
The student said he felt “overwhelming guilt” after the first sexual encounter, according to the affidavit.
The couple continued to engage in sexual activity four to five times a week for the student’s next two years of high school. The student told police that their relationship continued when he graduated from high school and entered college.
He was released on Tuesday and was released under supervision after paying a $ 175,000 bail. He is required to wear an ankle monitor at all times and is prohibited from any contact with minors or the victim.
Freed, who works as a principal at Williamsport Area High School, has been suspended from pay by the school board, according to PennLive.