Substitute teacher charged more than a decade after student was raped, MO cops say
It’s been over a decade since a 16-year-old high school student was raped, but the accusations involving a 45-year-old permanent substitute teacher and coach in Missouri recently surfaced, officials said.
Corey Lewis, a staff member at Pattonville High School in Maryland Heights, was arrested on Nov. 19 and is now facing several charges regarding inappropriate actions with a student that has since graduated.
Lewis was charged with statutory rape, statutory sodomy and five counts of sexual contact with a student, according to court documents. He’s held in jail on a $250,000 bond.
Attorney information for Lewis was not listed.
“We are deeply troubled by any report alleging that an employee may have engaged in inappropriate behavior,” Pattonville School District Superintendent Barry Nelson said in a message to families and staff that was shared with McClatchy News.
“Our schools are places where students should always feel safe, and we take any allegation of staff misconduct very seriously,” Nelson said. “When a concern by a former student was brought to the district regarding potential inappropriate conduct by this employee, district administrators immediately contacted our police partners. We have been in full cooperation with Maryland Heights police and will continue to provide any information or assistance they request.”
According to the criminal complaint, the accused rape and sexual contact occurred between December 2012 and December 2013.
Police said the investigation into Lewis is ongoing and are encouraging people that may have been victims or witnesses to contact Detective Ben Berges at 314-738-2310 or bberges@marylandheights.com.
Maryland Heights is about a 20-mile drive northwest from downtown St. Louis.
This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 5:26 PM with the headline "Substitute teacher charged more than a decade after student was raped, MO cops say."
