Skyline High teacher charged with ‘indecent liberties’ with students

Accused teacher Steven Bretsch – left Photo WCPS website; right RSW Jail MUG shot

The rash of incidents resulting in arrests of students – two bomb-threats and an assault between January 27 and March 7 – at the two county high schools continued, this time with the arrest of a teacher at Skyline High School.

According to a press release issued by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, March 9, “Steven Bretsch was charged with four class 6 felonies for taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in a custodial relationship.  Warren County investigators in coordination with Prince William County Police executed a search warrant of Mr. Bretsch’s residence and arrested him without incident.

The release states that two days earlier, Tuesday March 7, Sheriff’s Office school resource officers met with Skyline High administrators to discuss allegations of “a teacher having inappropriate relations with two students.”  A source at the school said Bretsch taught Spanish.

Skyline High School – Photo Roger Bianchini/Courtesy CassAviation

The students were then interviewed by both the Sheriff’s Office and Front Royal Police,leading to the search and arrest of Bretsch at his Prince William home.

Bretsch was first taken to the Prince William County Adult Detention Center.  He was later transferred to the RSW Regional Jail in northern Warren County, where he was initially being held without bond.

Anyone with further information regarding this case can contact Investigator Sgt. Henry at (540) 635-7100 or (540) 635-4128.

Told of the arrest of the teacher, a student at Skyline commented, “WHAT is GOING ON?!!?” in reaction to the fourth arrest in five-and-a-half weeks related to students’, and now a teacher’s, behavior at either Skyline or Warren County High School.

To recap:

• On Jan. 27, a “hoax device” bomb was found in a package discovered at WCHS after a fire alarm was set off at the school. The discovery led to the evacuation of the school from 12:09 p.m. for the remainder of the school day.  Caleb Sutphin, an 18-year-old former home-schooler who had entered WCHS in October 2016, was charged with a felony count of manufacture of a hoax explosive device.  He was released to the custody of his family on Feb. 14, following a third bond hearing.  Charged as an adult, Sutphin faces 1 to 5 years in prison if convicted on the Class 6 felony count.  He is free on bond;
• On Feb. 8, a 16-year-old male student at Skyline High School was questioned about verbal threats to plant bombs at that school. According to an affidavit attached to a search warrant executed at his family’s home, the suspect told a WCSO School Resource Officer that he had told several people he planned to set five Co2 bombs in five different locations at the school on Friday, Feb. 10 or Monday, Feb. 13.  Among the items seized in the search of his home were Co2 canisters and other materials that could be used in constructing explosive devices; firearms, including multiple shotguns, rifles, handguns; ammunition; crossbows, computers, cell phones, and X-Box 360s.  The juvenile, who told investigators he had researched making Co2 bombs online, has been charged with a Class 5 felony count of “threat to bomb” Skyline High School. That student was released to the custody of his family after a March 2 hearing in Warren County Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court;
• On Tuesday, March 7, the same day the Bretsch investigation was taking place, a male student at WCHS physically assaulted a female student around 1:30 p.m. When a female faculty member attempted to break the incident up, the male pulled “a commercially available self-defense spray” that directly hit the assault victim and teacher, and indirectly affected two other female students.  That juvenile suspect is charged with one count of assault and battery, two counts of assault and battery with a caustic substance and one count of disorderly conduct.  Additional charges were also pending, according to the WCSO press release on that incident.  That student remains in custody at the NW Juvenile Detention Center in Winchester following a “Juvy” Court hearing on Wednesday, March 8.

Warren County High School in lower portion of photo, Hilda J. Barbour Elementary is in top section. – Photo Roger Bianchini/Courtesy CassAviation

And if you carry it back to April 2016, this week’s allegations against the Skyline teacher is the second incident involving a public high school teacher in Warren County accused of inappropriate sexual contact with students.  A female teacher at WCHS was put on administrative leave April 15, 2016, following allegations of sexual contact with multiple male students over a period of time.

That teacher’s resignation was accepted on the June 2016 Personnel Report to the Warren County School Board, according to Schools Superintendent Greg Drescher.  Drescher publicly referred to the teacher as “she”.  One female teacher at WCHS was listed as resigning on the June 2016 personnel report.  “She” was never charged criminally as a result of that investigation.