An update with news that Jan Barlow appeared in court was posted Monday

Art teacher for Spruce Mountain schools charged with sexual exploitation of minor

JAY — An art teacher in the Spruce Mountain regional school system has been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and allegedly trying to coerce the victim to destroy evidence, police Chief Joseph Sage said Saturday.

Jan Barlow, 47, of Auburn, was arrested Saturday and is being held without bail at the Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington.

Barlow is charged with one felony count each of sexual exploitation of a minor and tampering with an informant, witness, juror or victim. Each charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and up to a $20,000 fine.

Jay police began an investigation after school resource officer Anthony York was contacted, Sage said, and later obtained a warrant to search Barlow’s residence and collect evidence.

School district Superintendent Scott Albert said he placed Barlow on paid administrative leave Feb. 27 after receiving a complaint from a parent about an inappropriate teacher-student relationship.

“The safety and well-being of our students is our number one concern,” Albert wrote in an email. “We received a parental complaint, following protocol the staff person was put on paid administrative leave for an investigation on Thursday, Feb 27th.”

Due to the nature of the complaint, Jay police, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine Department of Education were contacted, Albert wrote.

Barlow has been a teacher in the RSU 73 school system since 2010. He is listed as an art teacher at Spruce Mountain High School in Jay on the district’s website.

Barlow’s arraignment is scheduled for May 6 at Farmington District Court. He is scheduled to make an initial court appearance Monday to have a judge set bail, but he will not enter a plea at that point because a felony charge requires a grand jury indictment to move the case toward trial.