Ex-teacher faces up to 4 years for solicitation

Crown Point theater employee allegedly started abuse when his student was 17

An ex-Crown Point theater teacher could get up to four years in prison for grooming and having a sexual relationship with a student inside the school.

Christopher “Kit” Degenhart, now 51, pleaded guilty May 25 to Level 5 felony child seduction, court records show.

The sentence calls for a four year cap. He would be still barred from contacting the victim and must register as a sex offender for either 10 years, or life. His sentencing hearing is scheduled on July 25.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the allegations of the inappropriate relationship came to light after the victim, now a college student, reported the alleged relationship to her therapist.

The alleged relationship began in February 2020 when the then-senior at CPHS was 17 and was involved in theater, according to court documents. Degenhart was 47 at the time.

During his police interview, Degenhart initially stated he waited until Victim One turned 18 to engage in oral sex and sexual intercourse with her. But when he was later confronted with her statements, Degenhart stated his memory is murky from being 50 years old and doing a lot of disgusting things, and he is “not going to refute what she says,” the affidavit stated.

The girl continued to come to school early and the two would go backstage and make out, according to court documents, and the meetings became more frequent. In mid- to late-February, the pair began to use what was described as the “booth,” a room where the soundboard and lighting equipment is located which had a secure door, according to court documents.

The booth is where the relationship allegedly progressed to the victim performing oral sex on Degenhart and him sometimes reciprocating, according to the affidavit. The pair allegedly used the booth between 40 and 50 times for sexual purposes until the school closed due to COVID-19 in March 2020.

A week after the victim turned 18, she and Degenhart began to have sexual intercourse, court records stated.

The relationship continued through August 2020 when Degenhart’s wife discovered he had been emailing Victim One. The pair had their final meet up Aug. 4, 2020 when Degenhart broke off the relationship.