Montana teacher arrested for giving backrubs to two preteen girls and touching their private parts in class
A Montana elementary school teacher has been accused of sexually assaulting two of his young girl students in class, giving them backrubs and touching their private parts. Brent David Skelton, 30, formerly a fifth-grade teacher at the Orchard Elementary School in Billings, came to the attention of the authorities near the end of the previous school year after a parent notified the district about inappropriate text messages between him and their children, according to the Billings Gazette.
The school district subsequently launched an investigation against Skelton, with Superintendent Greg Upham stating police and child protective services were notified about the allegations as well. Billings Police Department Lt. Brandon Wooley confirmed in July they had received a complaint of "alleged inappropriate conduct" about a 30-year-old male teacher involving two female juvenile victims but declined to identify either the teacher or the school since their investigation was ongoing.
Now, in court documents obtained by KRTV, it was revealed the two students were 11 and 12 years of age, and said Skelton not only exchanged "inappropriate" text messages with them but also touched them under their underwear in class. Police interviewed the parents of the girls and obtained text messages from their phones sent by Skelton that were described as "flirtatious or sexually suggestive."
The girls also later admitted the 30-year-old would pay special attention to them, and on numerous occasions, give them back rubs and move his hands down to their buttocks or vaginal area. One girl said he touched the part of the body she used to "go pee."
A student of his class said she saw the teacher touching the girls frequently and felt uncomfortable with the behavior, with another revealing they saw one student sit on his lap "almost every day." District investigator Michelle Smith said one of the students seemed "protective" of him as she and another student were his "favorites" and that he would do things for them like buy them Dairy Queen or sneak in leftover food.
Skelton, who had been on administrative leave since the allegations against him emerged, resigned from his position following his arrest Thursday on two counts of felony sexual assault. He has not had any interactions with students this year.
The 30-year-old is currently being held at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility on a $150,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on his charges on Tuesday, September 24.