Sex charge added for ex-principal

Teenage girl in first case reports kissing in recent encounter

HOT SPRINGS — A retired Lake Hamilton Middle School principal who was charged earlier this year with sexually assaulting a 13-yearold female student at the school in May has been arrested on accusations that he assaulted her again last week.

Lester Dewayne Curry, 61, of Glenwood, who pleaded innocent Oct. 10 to felony charges of second-degree sexual assault and sexual indecency with a child, was taken into custody at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and charged with a second count of sexual indecency with a child, punishable by up to six years in prison, according to police.

Curry, who had been free on bond, remained in jail Wednesday; he has a bail hearing today in Garland County District Court.

According to an affidavit, the student, who is now 14, said during an interview Monday at the Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center that Curry had sexual contact with her again after arranging a meeting through an Instagram account under an assumed name a few weeks ago.

She said they met in a residential area off U.S. 70-West about 8 a.m. Nov. 23, and that during their meeting Curry kissed her and grabbed her buttocks. The student said she was scared that her parents would find out about the meeting and that Curry had told her about the no-contact order.

Curry was arrested June 3 and charged with second-degree sexual assault, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and one count of sexual indecency with a child, punishable by up to six years.

According to the affidavit for the earlier arrest, the Garland County sheriff’s office received a report May 22 concerning “inappropriate emails, Instagram conversations and texts” between

Curry and a 13-year-old student.

A witness told the investigators that she had observed an email on the student’s cellphone May 22 that said “Good Morning.” The email came from an account with Curry’s picture and phone number listed.

Other messages on the student’s phone “suggested a sexual relationship” between Curry and the student, the affidavit said.

The student was interviewed May 25 and told investigators that “on numerous occasions” Curry would pull her out of class to go to his office, where he allegedly kissed her and that he once put his hands on her buttocks and pulled her toward him, the affidavit said.

The student said Curry would tell her sexual stories and talk about having oral sex with her. She said the conversations were conducted in his office and through text messages, emails and Instagram direct messages, the affidavit said.

The student’s cellphone contained information that corroborated the student’s statements, the affidavit said.

Curry was interviewed May 25 at the sheriff’s office, where he denied the allegations of kissing and putting his hands on the student’s buttocks. He admitted to calling, texting, emailing and direct messaging the student on Instagram. Curry denied having sexual conversations with her, the affidavit said.

Curry submitted his resignation May 26, the day after he was interviewed by investigators. His retirement became effective June 30.