Teacher at Sierra-Osage charged with sexual conduct with student

A teacher at Sierra-Osage Treatment Center was arrested Tuesday, charged with having intercourse with a student.

Thompson

Shaun Thompson, 43, of Poplar Bluff posted a $25,000 cash or surety bond and was released early Tuesday evening, according to law enforcement.

He faces felony charges related to an incident March 23 with a 17-year-old student at the residential facility, according to Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs. Sierra-Osage is operated by the Missouri Division of Youth Services and serves juvenile offenders.

Thompson has been on administrative leave since the alleged incident was reported to staff, Dobbs said. He has been a teacher there for 10 years and is charged with sexual conduct with a nursing facility resident or vulnerable person.

“Both the girl and the suspect indicated there was basically consensual intercourse, however, due to the fact that she was confined, consent is irrelevant,” Dobbs said. “Under Missouri law, a confined person can’t invoke or revoke consent, therefore any kind of sexual encounter are looked upon as non-consensual.”

The alleged incident was reported to staff by another student, and then to a state hotline, which referred the case to the sheriff’s department, Dobbs said. Charges were not filed until a forensic interview was completed with the student.

According to statements made in the investigation, the incident occurred at the facility, in a storage room.

Thompson turned himself in early Tuesday evening, said Dobbs, who explained the investigation is ongoing.

Charges were filed by Butler County Prosecutor Kacey Proctor.

No attorney was listed Tuesday evening for Thompson and no court date has been set, according to Missouri Case.net.

An order by the court forbids Thompson from being on the premises of any school or correctional facility and from having contact with the victim.