A Eureka High School custodian has been charged with a felony for allegedly molesting a student with special needs, authorities said.
Robert Smith, 50, of Villa Ridge was charged today (Feb. 17) with first-degree sexual abuse, a class C felony punishable by three to 10 years in prison, according to court records.
Eureka Police Lt. Michael Werges said the alleged victim is a boy younger than 17 years old, and he is a Special School District student.
“We were informed by the Eureka Police Department that a member of our custodial team at Eureka High School has been arrested for sexual abuse,” the Rockwood School District said in a written statement. “This employee has been suspended without pay and is prohibited from being on district property.”
Werges said the school resource officer was notified about the alleged sexual assault on Feb. 11 and police immediately investigated the accusation, and they believe it is credible.
Smith was being held today on a $300,000 cash-only bound, court records show.
“Rockwood has very high expectations of its staff members and expects all employees to conduct themselves professionally with the well-being of students at the forefront of all that they say and do,” the district’s said. “The district takes any report of potentially criminal behavior – whether by staff or students – very seriously, and we work closely with our local law enforcement partners to investigate those allegations.”