Honk News (Portland, OR) – Following the initial allegations against a St. Helens teacher for the sexual abuse of students at his high school, additional charges have now been filed against him this week.
On Monday, Eric Stearns, a choir teacher at St. Helens High School, faced an indictment of 11 additional charges while simultaneously entering a not-guilty plea to both these new allegations and the 18 charges that had been filed earlier. He is currently confronted with a total of 29 charges, as indicated by court records.
Multiple allegations of second-degree sexual abuse are at the center of the charges. The circumstances surrounding these charges remain unclear at this time.
In November, Stearns was taken into custody alongside former teacher Mark Collins due to accusations of student abuse involving both individuals. An investigation has commenced, encompassing multiple teachers and administrators who are facing allegations of sexual abuse and neglecting to report such incidents.
In a hearing held on Monday, Stearns was refused bail. The commencement of his trial is anticipated for early June.