MILO, Maine — A former teacher and tennis coach at Penquis Valley High School in Milo has been arrested on charges of sexual assault involving a former student.
70-year-old Herbert "Russel" Carey Jr. was arrested by the Piscataquis County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, August 10, on six counts of Class C gross sexual assault.
According to the Piscataquis County District Attorney's Office, the incidents happened between April 2015 and 2016 and involved a female student at the school, who was 16 and 17 at the time. It's unclear whether any of the incidents happened on school property.
Piscataquis County Assistant District Attorney Christopher Almy said the woman told police what happened in May of this year, and then an investigation took place.
Almy said, "When she made this disclosure, the Sheriff of Piscataquis County himself, Bob Young, went out and investigated this case, made a thorough investigation, and as a result of what he found, these charges have been filed with the court and [Carey] was arrested [Tuesday] on the warrant that was issued."
According to Almy, Russell was a member of the school board in the town of Milo until March 20, 2021, but did not seek reelection. He was listed on the Milo town website as a school board member Tuesday afternoon, before the School Board page was apparently removed from the website shortly before 4 p.m.
Carey was released on bail on Tuesday. He makes his first court appearance on Monday, September 13.