By Staff
Man, 22, charged with statutory rape
By CHRISTINA HALE, Staff Writer
A former assistant coach at Washington High School, who is accused of having a relationship with a then-14-year-old female student, appeared Thursday in Beaufort County District Court.
Evan Satterthwaite, 22, of 705 Peed Drive, Apt. 8, Greenville, was arrested in December 2006 and charged with statutory rape, according to court documents. He was confined to the Pitt County Detention Center on Dec. 9 and is still currently being held on a $250,000 bond, said a spokeswoman with the center.
Satterthwaite appeared before the honorable Michael Paul and asked for a court appointed attorney, said Assistant District Attorney Johnathan Jones. The case was continued until Feb. 22.
Detective Chris Lee with the Washington Police Department said Satterthwaite was the former assistant football coach at Washington High School. He started working at the school in July of 2004, according to the payroll department at Beaufort County Schools.
Lee was interviewing the student “on an unrelated case” when she disclosed information about the relationship in Jan. 2006, he said. The relationship had since ended and reportedly occurred in 2004, according to the police report.
Lee said “it didn’t happen at the school.” She wasn’t Satterthwaite’s student, but “that’s where they met,” he said.
The relationship lasted for several months. Lee said he wouldn’t call it a “dating relationship,” but rather, “They met, had sex and then went their separate ways.”
Lee said the charge would have been in a higher class if the accused was more than 6 years older than the student. Satterthwaite would have been 20 years old when the alleged relationship occurred.
Satterthwaite is no longer employed with Beaufort County Schools. He left employment in November of 2005, said a spokeswoman with the Beaufort County Schools payroll department.
Lee said Satterwaite’s next court appearance on Feb. 22 will be a probable cause hearing to determine if the case goes before a grand jury.