A former longtime Carroll Middle School teacher pleaded guilty this morning to sexually abusing a former student.
Robert Dale "Bob" Rogers, 61, will be sentenced March 21 on one count of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of sexual exploitation by a school employee.
Rogers had agreed to a plea bargain that dropped two other counts of third-degree sexual abuse.
Carroll County District Court Judge Joel Swanson accepted the pleas following a half-hour process to ensure that Rogers understood the charges and punishments and to ensure the court had established a factual basis to accept the pleas.
In questioning by Swanson, Rogers said he performed oral sex on a 14- or 15-year-old male student at least 10 times from January 2006 to June 2007. Authorities have said the incidents occurred at residences in Carroll. The locations have not yet been specified in court.
The number of sex acts had to be specified for the court to determine that Rogers had engaged in a "pattern or practice or scheme" of sexual conduct as defined by Iowa law with regard to the charge of sexual exploitation by a school employee.
Rogers first admitted to touching the genitals of a boy then to performing oral sex. When asked to estimate the number of times, Rogers, who has cut and colored his hair since his arrest last summer, shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know a number" and then said it was more than 10.
Swanson ordered that Rogers be taken into custody until sentencing. He was taken to the Carroll County Jail.
Rogers' sentencing might be moved up if a presentence investigation is completed early.
Third-degree sexual abuse is a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Sexual abuse by a school employee is a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $7,500 fine.
Rogers also faces civil penalties totaling $400, court costs and restitution. Upon release from prison he would also be placed on parole ranging from 10 years to the rest of his life, subject to electronic monitoring and placement on the Sex Offender Registry, and be ordered to have no contact with the victim.
Rogers taught language arts at Carroll Middle School for 37 years until being placed on suspension at the time of his arrest.
He had no prior criminal history, according to online court records.
