Brian Strauss, principal (resigned) at South Adams Elementary School [South Adams Schools], Berne, Indiana; formerly elementary school teacher at South Central Elementary School [South Central Community School Corporation], Union Mills, Indiana; "charged with 2 counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, child solicitation and vicarious sexual gratification", " when the student was in ninth and tenth grade" ABC 57: Teacher accused of sexual relationship with student (Oct 19 2012) A former LaPorte County elementary school teacher is accused of having a sexual relationship with a student. The relationship allegedly started when he was a teacher at South Central Community School Corporation. Thursday night deputies arrested 40-year old Brian Strauss at his parent's house in Michigan City. He was a principal of an elementary school near Fort Wayne, but the Superintendent of that district told ABC 57 News that Strauss resigned on October 3rd. Right around the time the young girl told LaPorte County Sheriff's Department what happened between the two of them. WANE: Former principal arrested on sexual misconduct charges (Oct 19 2012) According to court documents, the relationship began during the summer of 2008 with a casual conversation. That conversation became sexual in nature during the fall of 2008 when the student was a freshman in high school. The relationship escalated to the point where the student would perform sex acts that Strauss viewed via the internet using a web camera. The student told the detective that between ninth and tenth grade the two had several sexual encounters at South Central Jr/Sr High School. Court documents also indicate the two had sexual encounters while the student was enrolled in drivers education as Strauss was one of the instructors. The student and Strauss would fabricate additional driving time to allow for these encounters. Tabs:
WISH TV: Former educator arrested on sex charges (Oct 20 2012) The former principal of South Adams Elementary School has been arrested in LaPorte County, Indiana on several counts of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student while he was a teacher there. Brian Strauss has been charged with two felony counts of Sexual Misconduct with a Minor, one felony count of Child Solicitation and one felony count of Vicarious Sexual Gratification. His arrest was the result of an investigation by the LaPorte County Sheriff's Department after a female student informed a detective on August 12, 2012 that she had been involved in an inappropriate relationship with Strauss while he was a school teacher employed by the South Central Community School Corporation. The alleged sexual relationship took place during the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 school years when the student was in ninth and tenth grade. Post-Tribune: Michigan City man arrested on charges of sex with teen (Oct 20 2012) Court documents indicate that [Brian] Strauss began chatting online with the girl in 2008, when she was 15 and he was a teacher at South Central High School in Union Mills in northwest Indiana. The documents allege he later asked the girl to perform sex acts and that he watched them on the Internet via webcam. The girl also told police that she had several sexual encounters with Strauss at school between her freshman and sophomore years, according to the court documents. 14 News: Ind. educator arrested on charges of sex with teen (Oct 20 2012) Police have arrested a former Indiana elementary school principal on charges he had an online sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl while working as a high school teacher. A LaPorte County jail officer said Saturday that 40-year-old Brian Strauss of Michigan City had been released on bond. He faces felony charges of sexual misconduct with a minor, child solicitation and vicarious sexual gratification. Strauss couldn't be contacted for comment.
Herald-Argus: Ex-teacher pleads guilty to sexual misconduct (Mar 8 2014) A former South Central School teacher was taken into custody on Friday for a sexual misconduct charge with a former student when she was 15-years-old. Brian Strauss, 40, of Michigan City plead guilty to the charge and was sentenced by La Porte County Circuit Court to 16 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections, with 13 years suspended, and to serve three years on general order probation through community corrections. Strauss also will no longer be able to be employed as a teacher. Strauss was arrested in the fall of 2012 and has one day for credit served. ...According to a report from the La Porte County Sheriff's Department, Strauss fabricated extra driving sessions with the girl so he could fondle her. He reportedly had an online relationship with the girl before she was a freshman in high school.
