Former middle school teacher is accused again of sexual contact with student
GLASGOW, Ky. – A former middle school teacher who was accused of sex crimes last year with a 13-year-old student was charged again Wednesday with additional crimes involving the same student.
A Barren County grand jury indicted William Kyle Gardner, 28, last year on three counts of first-degree unlawful transaction with a minor under 16 years old and one count of unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities.
Wednesday, the Barren County Sheriff’s Office was notified that Gardner had possibly violated his bond conditions by having contact with the girl in the 2019 case.
Gardner wears an ankle monitor and a sheriff’s deputy was able to determine that Gardner had been in the area of the girl’s home the night before, according to his arrest citation.
The deputy discovered Gardner had stayed the night at the Horse Cave Motel. The deputy reviewed surveillance video that showed Gardner leaving the motel at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and returning later with the juvenile. They are on video entering a room where they stayed for about an hour before leaving, according to the citation.
They later left and Gardner returned to the area near the girl’s home, according to the citation.
A forensic interview was conducted at the Barren River Child Advocacy Center where the girl told an interviewer that Gardner picked her up, took her to the motel and the two engaged in sexual activity, according to the citation. The girl said she and Gardner met other times in another county. The girl also said Gardner sent her nude photos of himself.
Gardner asked the girl not to testify against him in the 2019 case, according to the citation.
He was charged Wednesday with unlawful transaction with a minor under 16 years old – illegal sex act, intimidating a participant in the legal process and prohibited use of electronic communication system to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities.
