Young pleads not guilty to sex charges

A Harlem High School teacher pleaded not guilty in state District Court in Chinook Tuesday to charges stemming from accusations he had sexual relations with a student at the high school.

Jack Garner Young is charged with a felony count of sexual intercourse without consent and misdemeanor counts of sexual assault and indecent exposure. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.

A trial date is not yet set.

An omnibus hearing is set for June 27 at 10 a.m., although the hearings often are waived if all dates and deadlines are agreed to prior to that date.

According to a court document, Blaine County Sheriff’s Office was contacted April 13 by a person that works with high school students to report a student said they were sexually assaulted by a teacher. She reported multiple incidents during normal school hours occurred.

The official said the alleged victim, who appeared to be having trouble discussing the topic, said she had an inappropriate relationship with her teacher Jack Young.

The student said while being interviewed by law enforcement April 21 that Young would be extremely friendly with her, frequently touching her shoulder or leaning over her.

She said she contacted Young in November asking for makeup work for a missed day of school and Young said he did not feel safe telling her over the school email and asked her to use Facebook or Snapchat, later asking her to delate her Facebook Messenger messages she sent and to specifically use Snapchat. The student said she began communicating with Young via Snapchat.

She said she later left several messages Young sent her unanswered but he continued to message her, including sending pictures of himself nude. She told the officers Young told her if she sent him nude pictures of herself to him it would improve her grade in his class.

She said Young eventually wanted to meet her in person and when they were alone he would try to kiss her, with her telling him not to.

At one point he pulled down her mask and kissed her and grabbed her hand and had her touch his genitals. She told the officers she was very uncomfortable and froze up.

She said in later incidents he used his hand to touch her sexually.

She told officers he continued to send her graphic nude photos of himself, including in Harlem High School, and asking her to send sexual nude photos of herself to him.

Blaine County Sheriff’s Office applied for and obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s residence April 22.

The officers searched the residence, and during an interview Young admitted to receiving photos of women younger than 18. He said it was the first time he had been inappropriate with a student but felt as though he was being “pursued,” the document said.