Schuler has been charged with 16 felony counts of sexual battery and three counts of offenses involving underage persons, a first-degree misdemeanor, for allegedly buying or providing beer for five Mason students, most of whom were football players. Schuler is accused of having sexual relations with the students on five different occasions. Prosecutors said the alleged incidents occurred in 2010 on Aug. 20, 27, Sept. 10, Oct. 17 and Dec. 23.
Mason Detective Toni Hoelke said in a court document the students told her that all of the alleged sexual encounters occurred in Schuler’s bathroom and master bedroom. The student’s statements included specific details of her residence, Hoelke said in the court document, but she did not list them.
The documents also reveal that some of the students allegedly saw inappropriate photos on her cell phone and on her laptop computer.
A search warrant was granted to police by Judge Robert Peeler on Feb. 2. During a search of Schuler’s home, police seized pillows and pillowcases, bed sheets, videocassettes, mattress covers, carpet samples, two planners, miscellaneous papers and files, a printer, a comforter and a journal.
County Prosecutor David Fornshell said Thursday his office received preliminary test results on the property seized at Schuler’s home Monday from the Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab in Dayton. He said the formal test results are expected in the next three to four weeks. “We’ll wait for the formal test results then go from there. We’re going to proceed as scheduled.”
Schuler still denies the charges, said her attorney Charlie Rittgers of Lebanon. He said he has not received all of the discovery information from the county Prosecutor’s Office.
“It keeps coming out piecemeal,” he said. “I’ve asked when it will come and they said later this week. We’re still waiting.”
Rittgers told Judge Peeler on March 16 that it was “highly unlikely” that he and Schuler would be ready for trial on May 5 because he had not received the discovery information.
The allegations against Schuler were reported to school officials anonymously on Jan. 10. On Jan. 18, the 10-year Mason teacher was placed on paid administrative leave and has since resigned. Schuler is free on bond and is wearing a GPS monitoring device while living in Centerville with her parents.
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