(KMJ) A Fresno Unified school teacher is out on bail after being arrested around 6:00pm Thursday. Darren Klassen, 46, was taken into custody after being accused of having a sexual relationship with a former student.
According to Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, the Fresno High English teacher was jailed just before midnight Thursday and posted $80k bail on Friday morning.
Fresno Unified spokesman Jed Chernabaeff tells KMJ News that the allegations are “upsetting and don’t represent the high standards of the district”.
Fresno Police Family Justice Bureau Lieutenant Jeff Motoyasu spoke to media, saying Klassen was arrested for two felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse (“sexual acts with a minor and the adult is over 18”), and lewd and lascivious acts with a minor.
Detectives say the FHS student was 17 years old when her two year long relationship began with Klassen.
She met him when she was a freshman, and later had a sexual relationship during her Junior and Senior years.
She graduated this past Spring and tried to end the relationship. She told her parents and they called police on Wednesday.
Lt. Motoyasu says it is now up to District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp as to the actual charges that will be filed against Klassen.
