Vernon Heizer50 year old 6th grade teacher at Grand Coulee Middle School in Nespelem, Washington, Vernon Heizer, was arrested on charges of second degree rape of a child, third degree rape of a child, child molestation and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

Heizer is also a wrestling coach as well as a reserve police officer at the Grand Coulee Police Department. Investigators had been building a case against Heizer for several months.

The victim was 14 and was a former student of Heizer. The incidents occured between November 2006 and July 2007, during which Heizer gave the girl a cell phone, and their relationship progressed from talking sexually on the phone to having sex multiple times.

Heizer was released on $150,000 bond, and subsequently re-arrested about 2 months afterwards, for stalking the victim in his case. He was held on $100,000 bond. That makes sense.

Heizer has plead guilty to child rape, which he faces a possible 26 to 34 months in prison, and child molestation, which he faces 15 to 20 months in prison for.

Update — 05/19/2008
Heizer has been sentenced to 34 months in prison, all but 9 months of which was suspended. Heizer will receive credit for 9 months he has already served. Heizer is required to register as a sex offender, and stay 100 feet away from the victim at all times. Heizer will also be undergoing outpatient sex offender treatment.

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