A Westbrook High School girls’ track coach who admitted having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student has been indicted on five counts of gross sexual assault.
Timothy Even, 27, was indicted Tuesday by the Cumberland County grand jury.
Even initially denied having an inappropriate relationship with the girl, but then admitted it after detectives showed him copies of explicit text messages he and the student allegedly exchanged.
He told police that he knew what he did was wrong, but couldn’t control his feelings.
“This is a situation that started with the best of intentions,” Even wrote in an affidavit that was released when he initially appeared in court in September. “Unfortunately, my lack of professionalism and self-control created a situation that got out of hand.”
A friend of the victim saw the text messages on the girl’s cellphone and, along with the girl’s parents, contacted Westbrook police. According to police, the relationship began in April and continued until Even’s arrest in September.
The age of consent in Maine is 16, but teachers or school employees are prohibited by law from having sexual relationships with students if the employee has disciplinary or supervisory authority over the student.
Even has been a full-time ed tech for the Westbrook school district since 2013 and an adviser for the high school’s class of 2018. Before working in Westbrook schools, he was an assistant cross country and track coach at Fryeburg Academy. He has also worked at Camp Susan Curtis, a nonprofit camp for economically disadvantaged youths, since 2004 and most recently was assistant director of the camp’s 10-week summer program.
Even has agreed to have no contact with the victim and only supervised contact with minors under the age of 18 since his release on bail. He was placed on administrative leave by the school district in September. He also surrendered his Westbrook High identification badge and was barred from going on school grounds.
Edward D. Murphy can be contacted at 791-6465 or at:
emurphy@pressherald.com
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