x
Breaking News
More () »

Gentry teacher arrested for sexual assault of former student

Jail records show Leah Queen is being held on a warrant out of Benton County for sexual assault in the 2nd degree.

GENTRY, Ark. — A Gentry intermediate PE teacher has been arrested on charges of sexual assault involving a former student based on an alleged incident that happened in 2010, according to the Gentry Police Department.

According to jail records, 44-year-old Leah Queen faces charges of furnishing, possessing or using prohibited articles and is being held without bond. Her jail record also shows she is being held on a warrant out of Benton County for sexual assault in the second degree.

GPD said in an affidavit that the incident reportedly happened after Queen befriended the victim, who was 17 years old at the time, after a basketball game and the two began "socializing outside of school hours and communicating through social media" in March 2010.

The affidavit says Queen and the alleged victim went on to "engage in deviate sexual activity" during the summer of 2010 before the minor's senior year of high school in Queen's office or office bathroom.

Investigators said they attempted to reach out to Queen to interview her about the allegations but that she declined their request to provide a statement.

She has no bond at this time and is currently in custody at the Benton County Sheriff's Office. Queen is listed on the Gentry Public School's website as an intermediate PE teacher.

The Superintendent of Gentry Public Schools Terrie DePaola said the school is aware of the investigation and they are aware of no allegations concerning a current student or parent at this time. DePaola says Queen is suspended from her position at this time.

No further information is available at this time. 

Stay with 5NEWS for updates on this developing story.

Follow 5NEWS on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:

Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device

To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com.

Before You Leave, Check This Out