AUGUSTA — A former high school teacher and youth hockey coach pleaded no contest Tuesday to a misdemeanor charge of illegally touching a 16-year-old high school student.

Matthew B. Dineen, 41, was sentenced to 364 days in jail, with all but 120 days suspended and one year of probation.

Dineen, of Gardiner, also pleaded guilty to one count of violating a protective order — for contacting his wife Aug. 22, after she had received an order for protection against him — and was sentenced to a concurrent 60-day jail sentence.

He was ordered to report to jail Friday to begin his jail term. He has spent about 17 days in jail on those charges.

In exchange for his no-contest plea, the state dismissed two other counts of unlawful sexual touching — all naming the same minor female as a victim — and another count of violating a protective order.

Dineen’s attorney, Jason Jabar, said his client did not address the judge during the hearing.

“He is looking forward to getting this all resolved,” Jabar said.

During his probation, Dineen is banned from having unsupervised contact with any girls younger than 18 who are not his own children.

In an affidavit for an arrest warrant for Dineen, Gardiner police Sgt. Todd Pilsbury listed four occasions when Dineen’s alleged activities with the girl “included kissing and touching of a sexual nature.”

Dineen was placed on administrative leave Feb. 26 and resigned shortly afterward from his teaching post in Regional School Unit 11, which serves Gardiner, Randolph, Pittston and West Gardiner.

“I want to commend the Gardiner school system for making sure this was reported and supporting the victim,” District Attorney Evert Fowle said.

Fowle said the sentence fit the crime.

“This was not an offense that rose to the level where it has to be on the sex offender registry or anything,” Fowle said.

He added that he expected Dineen to lose his teacher’s certificate.

“This type of conduct was highly inappropriate for a teacher,” Fowle said. “I think it would amply meet the definition of the Department of Education as grounds for revocation.”

According to David Connerty-Marin, spokesman for the Department of Education, Dineen is still certified to teach.

“In cases where we have received certified court record of conviction of a crime involving physical or sexual abuse or exploitation of a child, we revoke the certification and give notice to that individual,” Connerty-Marin said. “Naturally, it takes a few days or a couple of weeks to receive certified court records.”

Jabar said Dineen expects the state will take some action regarding the certification.

“I don’t think he’s planning a return to teaching,” Jabar said.

Dineen taught at Gardiner Area High School for more than two years. He was boys’ hockey coach at Gardiner for several years and was named Kennebec Journal Hockey Coach of the Year in 2009. In fall 2008 and 2009, he was girls’ varsity soccer coach. He previously taught at Carrie Ricker School in Litchfield.

 

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