Teacher Charged with Sex Abuse Waives Prelim

Source: The Times-News, Twin Falls, IdahoJan.文件倉 17--TWIN FALLS -- A former Twin Falls man who moved to Malad, taught special education there and was accused of child sexual abuse opted out of a preliminary hearing Friday morning.Sid Arthur Campbell, 35, is charged with three counts of lewd conduct with a minor younger than 16 and a count of sexual abuse of a minor younger than 16.At a preliminary hearing, prosecutors must show a judge they have enough evidence to proceed with the case into district court.Campbell is being held in the Twin Falls County Jail in lieu of $75,000 bail.Campbell was a special education teacher at Malad Middle School, but at his arraignment hearing in December said he had been suspended with pay.According to a LinkedIn profile, Campbell also coached high school football and middle school track and took in foreign exchange students.Court documents filed in late November say Campbell sexually abused a 15-year-old girl in Twin Falls in February and March 2012.A Malad High School counselor contacted Twin Falls authorities after the girl disclosed the alleged abuse.According to the documents, Campbell admitted in an interview that he had sexual contact with the girl three or four times. He also admitted to sexual contact during the same two-week period with a girl who n存倉w is 12, the documents say.One of the girls in the case has an autism spectrum disorder commonly known as Asperger syndrome, Deputy Prosecutor Jethelyn Harrington said during Campbell's arraignment in December.Campbell is known to the two girls in the case.Magistrate Judges Roger Harris and Calvin Campbell have disqualified themselves from the case, which now is assigned to Judge Thomas Kershaw. The judges did not give reasons for disqualifying themselves.In Idaho, lewd conduct carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $50,000 fine. Sexual abuse of a minor carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.In December, Oneida School District Superintendent David Risenmay told the Times-News that a substitute was covering for Campbell's classes."Special education is a tough spot to fill as it is, but in the middle of a school year, it's especially tough," Risenmay said.The Oneida district has posted a job opening for Campbell's position on its website.In December Risenmay said the school board was waiting for the case to progress further to take action.Risenmay could not immediately be reached Friday morning.Copyright: ___ (c)2014 The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho) Visit The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho) at magicvalley.com Distributed by MCT Information Services儲存