SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A fifth-grade teacher has been booked into jail, and the man is accused of inappropriately touching four girls who were in his class during the course of the 2013-2014 school year.
According to court documents, 62-year-old James Rolland Carter faces two counts of sexual abuse of a child as second-degree felonies, and two counts of lewdness involving a child as class A misdemeanors.
A declaration of probable cause indicates that three female students told police that sometime between September 1, 2013 and April 1, 2014 Carter had touched their breasts and buttocks over the clothing. A fourth student stated Carter placed his clothed private part against her shoulder and ribs over the clothing at some point during that same period of time.
The alleged victims are all 11-year-old females.
Carter is a fifth-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in Salt Lake City. Mike Williams, a spokesman for the Salt Lake City School District, said the district became aware of the investigation in April, and at that time the teacher was placed on paid administrative leave.
Williams said now that formal charges have been filed, Carter will remain on administrative leave until the case works its way through the courts--after which the district will make a final determination on the man's employment status.
A warrant was issued for Carter’s arrest Wednesday, and he has been booked into the Salt Lake County Jail. The man’s bail is set at $30,000.
FOX 13 News will have more information as it becomes available.
