An Idaho high school teacher has been arrested and charged with sexual assault after being accused of suspicious behavior involving a student.
The police have started an investigation into the allegations against them Troy Wayne McFadden on May 26 after detectives received a report about his suspicious behavior involving a minor, according to a statement obtained by. Us Weekly.
Investigators say McFadden, 46, was working as a faculty member at Ridgevue High School at the time of the report. The allegations against him have not been disclosed, although the authorities say they concern a student and the incident took place outside the institution.
Once authorities were able to gather enough evidence on McFadden, he was taken into custody by the Nampa Special Enforcement Team on Thursday, June 11, without incident. He was then charged with having sex with a minor, 16 or 17 years old.
Investigators believe this case is an isolated incident and there is no suspicion that McFadden has other victims. However, police are appealing for parents to talk to their children about whether they have ever met McFadden. If students encounter incidents involving a teacher, police ask families to report them.
“Witnessing suspicious behavior and alerting an adult is commendable. Those who report something that seems out of the ordinary and inappropriate to the police must be brave and do the right thing,” said Nampa Police Sgt. Brad Barnum said a statement about the incident that was released to the media. “With their help, we were able to stop a very dangerous situation. Protecting the children in our community is one of our top priorities at the Nampa Police Department.”
Barnum continued, “It doesn’t matter what position the suspect is in; we will not stop looking for them, investigate the allegations, and bring them to justice.”
It is not yet clear whether McFadden has entered a plea or trained as a lawyer after his arrest.
Sexual battery is defined as a criminal offense involving the intentional, non-consensual intercourse with another person, according to the Law Dictionary. Sexual battery usually involves unwanted contact, groping or forced sexual contact for the purpose of sexual gratification.
In the state of Idaho, those found guilty of having sex with a minor, as young as 16 or 17 can face various penalties based on the age of the victim and the offense committed. However, the most severe sentence is a sentence of 25 years in state prison.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
