Teacher gets probation in molestation case

Former middle school teacher Ronald Keen has been given three years probation for molesting a boy in a copy room at his school, but he will have to serve the first three months in jail.

District Judge Jeff Sobel on Tuesday made that a condition of probation on the gross misdemeanor charge of open and gross lewdness over the incidents at William Orr Middle School.

In the plea bargain, Keen pleaded no contest to the charge that could have carried a sentence of a year in the county jail and a $2,000 fine. In exchange, Deputy District Attorney Tom Carroll dismissed felony counts of lewdness with a minor under 14 and annoying a minor.

At an earlier hearing, the victim told the judge how he has had to change schools because of taunting by fellow students over the illicit contact by the former teacher.

Keen, however, maintained that he is innocent, and the boy's stories were fabricated to discredit him.

Although Keen was declared to be guilty by the judge, despite the no-contest plea, the impact of that plea will be felt in a civil lawsuit over the misconduct.

Guilty pleas are considered to be automatic admissions of liability in civil cases and the only remaining issue generally involves how much compensation is due.

But no-contest pleas carry no such weight, and those who file the lawsuits have the burden of showing defendants are responsible and liable.

School police began investigating the case at the middle school at 1562 E. Katie Ave. in January 1998 after a student came forward.

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