ASHLAND, Maine — A former high school teacher who held jobs in both Greenville and Ashland recently pleaded guilty to two charges of gross sexual assault lodged against him after an investigation that began last year.
Stephen Wierzbowski, 27, appeared for sentencing before Aroostook County Superior Court Justice E. Allen Hunter.
Deputy District Attorney Carrie Linthicum said on Friday that the former English teacher at Greenville High School and Ashland High School was sentenced to four years in prison with all but 18 months suspended, along with two years of probation. He also will have to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years.
Wierzbowski was charged in late November 2011 after an investigation that police said spanned from Greenville to Ashland. Wierzbowski was employed by SAD 32 in Ashland at the time, having served as an English teacher at Greenville High School until July 2010.
Gehrig Johnson, who is superintendent of both SAD 32 and SAD 1 in Presque Isle, said last year that the charges against Wierzbowski resulted from a report received by the school administration on Nov. 29. The complaint led to an investigation by State Police and Wierzbowski was arrested on Nov. 30. He was immediately placed on leave from the district and ordered to have no contact with students.
One month later, he was arrested again for violating his bail by using alcohol and being in possession of a weapon and marijuana.
He later pleaded guilty to the bail violation and was sentenced to 48 hours in jail and a $250 fine.
Linthicum said that the gross sexual assault investigation ultimately identified two victims, one from Piscataquis County and one from Aroostook.
She said that the 17-year-old Piscataquis County victim appeared in court and read a statement.
“She basically talked about how his crimes affected her,” she said on Friday. “She was a lonely girl and he was nice to her. He held a position of trust and he abused the trust.”
Linthicum said that Wierzbowski’s probation comes with “numerous” conditions, including drug and alcohol restrictions and no contact with the victims.
Another slap on the hand for the pervert and a slap in the face to the victim. Put these creeps away for longer sentences. He will be on the streets in a little of a year with no treatment for his perversion and a threat still to children.
I do not know why people who commit sexual offenses against minors get away with such short sentences. It is the wrong message to send to be lenient against people who manipulate children and emotionally needy adolescents, particularly when they are in positions of trust.
18 months! WHAT A F’N JOKE
What a joke! People trust these “people” with educating their kids not having sex crimes with them. Educators should be held to a higher standard. Like I said,what a joke!
i hope he meets bubba…or in shawhank as we call them “the sisters”
“sentenced to four years in prison with all but 18 months suspended, along with two years of probation. He also will have to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years. -BDN”
Wow, Maine must be the hit of the sick/creep world now! Look what we give our teachers who like to (play) with little kids??? Maine just slaps molesters on the hand. Someone would get more time growing a freaking pot plant… Somethings wrong with our Laws ppl.
not sure why this keeps happening in Greenville.
All of Piscataquis County law enforcement except for the Dover-Foxcroft P.D. and two Deputies with the Piscataquis S.O. either is incompetent or borders on it based upon publicized criminal occurences during the last 18 months. Even more important, although some improvements have occurred during the last 10 months regarding a couple of subjects such as bail amounts for Domestic Violence Criminal Threatening, the state of Maine remains hapless in terms of broadly lacking agressive prevention and prosecution…as well as sentencing…for felonious Domestic Violence and Child sex crimes such as this. The relationship between MSP and PCSO is a negative 12 on a scale of 1 to 10, and it is not MSP’s fault. It is that localized “I-factor”…incompetence…as was indicated by the November 29th incident at the Piscataquis Fairgrounds. Please know that bail amounts for burglary (earlier this year in Lincoln) range as high as $30,000, and these felonious pedophiles and significant-other-batterers now always receive bail amounts of $2,500 or less…on many occasions $200. People should be fired or removed from office due only to this stuff.
Pretty sad a teacher gets this light of a sentence I wonder what the average Joe would’ve received?
I can only imagine how the victims of sexual assaults must feel when they discover that the perverts who raped them were sentenced to a mere 18 months in jail. The next time a Judge wonders why he doesn’t get the respect he thinks he deserves, maybe he should think about what kind of sentences being handed down to these violent offenders.
Why not just let him keep teaching? How is a light sentence for these crimes and VIOLATION of his bail conditions going to teach him anything or deter more of the same sort of crimes. Maine “justice”? Makes me sick.
If this was a female teacher she likely would not even be charged. In Washington County the prosecutor asked for 30 days for one female teacher and 6 month for another female
teacher for repeatedly raping two 8th grade boys. When some 40 year old women have intercourse with 13 year old boys it’s taken lightly, but when 27 year old male messes
around with apparently willing 17 year old students well then it’s called rape and he gets hard time in prison. The gender bias and the double standard is sickening. Where are the feminist demanding gender equality when it comes to holding females to the same standards as males?
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Female-teacher-avoids-jail-time-over-sex-tape-with-16-year-old-student-159699555.html
Anyone, no matter the gender, should have stiff sentences for abusing our children. The courts are too lenient when handing down sentences, especially in regard to child abuse of any kind. The children are our hope and our future. They should be cherished and nurtured. Anyone who abuses them in any way, shape or form should be given the maximum sentence available. There is no excuse for leniency.
Explain to me a cop that was charged with a crime like this and got off, with all kinds of evidence. One word simple COP
“Probation comes with numerous conditions”- 1- that won’t stop him from doing drugs & alcohol- he has already been caught for doing that. 2- he may not be allowed to contact his 2 victims….but there are so many more potential ones out there- where is their protection? This guy is a predator. he won’t stop just because a little piece of paper tells him so….these predators need long sentences. They do not get them in Maine & our court system supports these slaps on the wrist. Shame on these judges & DAs that do not take the safety of the people into consideration when they make their decisions. This is an old, old problem.. It can be seen in sex offences & domestic violence too. These are dangerous people & they are out in the streets far too soon to wreak more havoc.