Nov 16, 2007 - Allen Eve, 58, a music teacher Richland High School, was arrested. He was charged with sexual misconduct with a minor in the first degree, communication with a minor for immoral purposes, and assault in the fourth degree with sexual motivation.
The three victims are teen girls who went to Richland High. Court documents report Eve sent one girl notes in her locker, eventually leading to sex a couple times a week in the band supply room. The sexual contact, police believe, continued for seven months this year. Two other girls reported inappropriate contact.
Police also seized Eve's computer where they say photos of one of the victims posing in her underwear were found.
The school put Eve on paid administrative leave last month to begin their own investigation. Eve stepped down shortly after that. He's been with the Richland schools for 15 years. Eve is married.
Police are looking at the other states he worked in to see if he has a background there.
NOT GUILTY PLEA Nov 21 - Eve pleaded not guilty.
Court documents say the affair between Eve and one of his students started when the teacher slipped notes "of a sexual nature" into the girl's locker, and escalated to sex in the school's band supply room.Dec 12 - Eve was in court briefly as attorneys agreed to several continuances in the case. Eve resigned in October.
MISCONDUCT CHARGE DISMISSED (for now) August 15, 2008 - Superior Court Judge Dennis Yule ruled it was not a crime for teacher Allan Eve to have sex with an 18-year-old student because the law is too vague. Benton County prosecutors will continue prosecuting Eve on one count each of communication with a minor for immoral purposes and fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation.
Deputy Prosecutor Adrienne Farabee wants to talk with the student's family before deciding if she'll ask the Washington state Court of Appeals Division 3 to review Yule's ruling. She has thirty days to appeal. A similar case in Grays Harbor County is being considered by the state Court of Appeals Division 2 and the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys is looking toward a legislative fix.
Eve's trial is scheduled Oct. 13.
STATE LAW CHANGES October 29 - The Richland School Board will be lobbying to change some state sexual misconduct laws.
When the district looked into state law, it discovered that it's not a crime for staff and volunteers to have sexual relations with students who are 18 years old.Eve is scheduled to be in Benton County Superior Court on November 24th for an unrelated charge of sexual misconduct with a minor.
School Board President Rick Jansons says the district will be working with state representatives to change Washington law and to protect students.
"Students are required by law to come here, to come to our high schools to come to any of our schools, that puts them in a place where they could be unduly influenced and we want to make sure that doesn't happen" said Jansons.
