SOUTH PARIS, Maine — The former SAD 55 employee accused of impregnating a student faced a judge Wednesday on felony sex charges.
Zachariah Sherburne is charged with gross sexual assault and sexual abuse of a minor. He entered pleas of not guilty to both.
Wearing a dress shirt and glasses, the 24-year-old stood by his attorney as he was arraigned, then left the courthouse right away and headed straight into a waiting car.
“I think it’s been very tough. I think it’s been devastating,” said Allan Lobozzo, Sherburne’s defense attorney. “The whole family has really suffered.”
According to an affidavit, Sherburne was an ed tech at Sacopee Valley High School when he befriended a 16-year-old student and began seeing her off campus.
Court documents say the pair had sex two or three times on Feb. 12 while watching TV at the Kezar Falls Fire Department. The next morning, Sherburne apologized to her, according to the affidavit, admitting he had done something wrong, and ultimately confessed to police in March.
“At the time of these alleged incidents, Zach Sherburne had already resigned from the school department,” said Lobozzo.
Lobozzo said Sherburne’s last day in the classroom was one day earlier, on Feb. 11.
“It had nothing to do with an investigation. It had nothing to do with any sort of illicit conduct,” said Lobozzo. “It was simply the fact that he needed more hours.”
Carl Landy, the superintendent of SAD 55, confirmed that Sherburne’s last day working in the district was Feb. 11, with his employment officially ending Feb. 12.
According to state statute, the age of consent in Maine is 16. Lobozzo said because Sherburne wasn’t technically her teacher at the time, their sexual relationship was not illegal.
“A lot of things are poor judgement, but they’re not crimes,” he said.
Lobozzo said Sherburne will be back in court on July 8 for a motion to dismiss all charges.