Former drama teacher’s bond reduced
Posted on Tuesday, May 15, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/48921/
BENTONVILLE — Bond for a former Gravette High School teacher accused of having sex with a 17-yearold student was reduced Monday.
Casey Lee Helms, 32, of Decatur, is charged with sexual assault in the first degree, a class A felony punishable with a prison sentence ranging from six to 30 years. He was being held in the Benton County Jail in lieu of $ 100, 000 bond.
A bond hearing for Helms was scheduled for Monday, but the hearing wasn’t necessary after Deputy Prosecutor Mike Armstrong and Helms’ attorney, Joel Huggins, agreed on a bond of $ 40, 000.
Helms was arrested March 21 after the girl’s mother reported Helms might have had an inappropriate relationship with her daughter.
An omnibus hearing in the case is scheduled for 8: 30 a. m. June 14.
The mother told Jeremy Felton, an investigator with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, that she was reviewing her daughter’s cellphone bill and noticed text messages and calls to two numbers at different times of the day, according to court documents. The woman’s daughter said the numbers were her drama teacher’s and that the two talked about NASCAR, school and boys.
The mother scheduled a meeting in January with Gravette High School Principal Jo Ellen Hastings and Dean of Students Carl Scott. Helms was called to the office, where he denied the numbers were his, according to court documents. Hastings asked Helms to place his cell phone on a table. She then called the number, and Helm’s phone rang, court documents state.
Helms denied having a relationship with the girl. He was then instructed not to have any further contact with her. The girl was removed from his classroom, and a warning was documented in his file.
On March 19, the woman said she walked into her daughter’s room and saw the daughter throw an object under the bed, court documents state. A silver cell phone with only one number was found under the bed.
One text message from March 19 was found on the phone. It read, “ Me too. I can’t wait to get you all to myself. ”
The girl told her mother Helms gave her the phone, according to court documents.
The girl at first denied having a sexual relationship with Helms but later admitted to her mother to having intercourse with Helms, court documents state.
The girl was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County, where she disclosed details about her relationship with her former teacher.
Helms admitted to the sexual relationship when he was interviewed by Felton, according to court documents. Helms resigned his position with the school district.