A Lynnwood High School teacher was charged Thursday in Snohomish County Superior Court with a felony for allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old student in his car at the Alderwood mall parking lot.
James Lowell Stone, 47, of Seattle was arrested March 9 and posted bail. He will remain free pending arraignment in about two weeks.
He was charged with one count of first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor.
Stone, a science teacher, has worked in the Edmonds School District for 10 years, at Edmonds-Woodway High School for five years and at Lynnwood High School for five years.
Deputy prosecutor Matt Baldock said Stone “was in a significant relationship” with the girl and “abused a supervisory position within that relationship” to engage in sexual activity with her in December.
Lynnwood High School officials called police Feb. 17 after hearing rumors about the relationship.
The girl told other students in December that she and Stone had met for coffee at the mall and smoked marijuana together in the parking lot, Baldock said. She also told other students that Stone kissed her, but denied that they had sex.
She even let some of the girls listen to messages from Stone that she saved on her cell phone, Baldock said.
The girl at first denied to police having any kind of inappropriate relationship with Stone. School administrators conducted their own investigation after putting the defendant on administrative leave Feb. 17.
School officials garnered bits of information from students and teachers, and examined Stone’s classroom computer and his school e-mail account.
On Dec. 11, Stone sent the girl an e-mail message asking to meet her at 6:45 a.m. and suggesting the Alderwood mall parking lot, court records said.
On Dec. 12, the girl e-mailed him saying she was nervous about an audition for a school play. He wrote her back, encouraging her. Among other things he asked: “How about letting me encourage you tomorrow at 6:45?”
Later in the message, he said if she met him, “I’ll make it worth it to you.”
The girl was interviewed by police again March 9, and admitted they had met at the mall parking lot and smoked marijuana together.
She also admitted that they kissed and touched each other inappropriately, and on one occasion she performed oral sex on him while they sat in the parking lot, police said.
Despite her urgings, she said he declined to have conventional sex with her “because he is married,” the girl told police.
Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or haley@heraldnet.com.
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