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Vermont Teacher Charged In Sex Assault

Morrisville, Vermont -- September 14, 2009

An elementary school teacher, and chairman of the select board in Morrisville, was charged Monday with multiple sexual assaults on two of his students.

Police say the crimes came to light last week, when the alleged victims came forward more than six months after the suspect resigned from Morristown Elementary to start teaching this year in Colchester.

The suspect in this case, 28-year-old Shaun Bryer, had been a popular school teacher in Morristown and a community leader. He is the chair of the Morristown select board and he made an unsuccessful run for the state legislature. But as of Monday afternoon, he became an accused child molester facing charges that could bring a life sentence.

Shaun Bryer was arrested this weekend after two 14-year-old boys contacted police claiming he had sexually abused them over the past two years. Police say the boys told them it started when he was their 5th grade teacher at he Morristown Elementary School.

Last spring Bryer resigned from Morriston to take a one-year teaching post at the Mallets Bay Elementary school in Colchester, which motivated the boys to finally come forward.

"There was comments made by the victims in their interview that they were concerned of the possibility of other victims only due to the nature of his profession," said Vermont State Police Detective Lance Burnham.

Police say the boys told them Bryer molested them at least 25 times each at Bryer's apartment, never at the school, and he paid them $20 to $150 for each sex act.

"We are all deeply saddened shocked confused and overwhelmed," said Lamoille South School Superintendent Tracy Wrend.

She says there were no indications that Bryer was acting inappropriately with children.

"Mr. Bryer resigned from his position in the Morristown School District last Spring. I cannot comment on the specifics of personnel matters. However, I want to be very clear that the district had no evidence of physical improprieties or sexual misconduct on the part of Mr. Bryer," said Wrend.

"People trusted him. I can't believe he that this happened," said Bryer's former neighbor Art Fluegge.

He was Bryer's upstairs neighbor until last Spring when Fluegge moved out. Bryer still lives there. Fluegge says kids were always in the apartment, but no one suspected anything was amiss.

"They would come over and they would probably be there for until about nine o'clock or so. And then he would take 'em home or somebody would pick them up. I think it was like I think three boys and a girl," said Fluegge.

Bryer plead innocent to 17 felony sex charges, 10 of them carrying minimum 25-year-sentences if convicted for sexual assaults on a child under 16.

School officials in Colchester issued a statement saying they have no indications of improper behavior by Mr. Bryer at Mallets Bay Elementary. He's only been teaching there for a couple of weeks.

The other four members of the Morristown select board met Monday night to discuss the news about Bryer. After several comments from the public suggesting Bryer be removed from his position, the board went into executive session. When it came out the board read a prepared letter.

Board members apologized to the alleged victims and their families, and passed on condolences to Bryer and his family.

"We acknowledge Shaun Bryer for his service to our community," board member Dave Yacavone, read from the letter. "We genuinely hope he can get the treatment he needs."

That acknowledgement of public service did not sit well with some residents.

"It sickens me the comment you just made about you commend his service to this town," Kathy Chaffee told the board. "I want to throw up."

Many residents are trying to keep their feelings about the accusations against Bryer seperate from how they feel about his years of service to their community. Several people who spoke at the meeting said it is right to acknowledge his service while condemning his alleged behavior.

"He has been a very positive role model in the community and that's where that stops now and now we need to move to the other side and figure this whole incident out and work on it from there," said Morrisville resident Tom Graves.

State law prohibits elected officials from being removed from office so the select board cannot vote to remove Bryer, nor can residents. Instead, the board is asking Bryer to resign from his position, "in the interest of moving forward."

 Brian Joyce and Bianca Slota -- WCAX News