BUTLER, Pa. — A former Butler school board member who resigned last week is now under criminal investigation in connection to an alleged sexual relationship he had with a teenage girl.
Bill Halle was in court Tuesday after being accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a teenage girl who 11 News learned is a student in the Butler Area School District.
RELATED >>> Local school board member resigns, accused of inappropriate sexual relationship with teenage girl
We tried to question Halle after he walked out of the courtroom. His attorney told us he would not comment.
Halle resigned from his position last week after a parent filed a temporary sexual violence protection order against Halle.
In the order, the parent states that “random people called the police about the defendant being creepy around my minor child… I feel that I am still at risk of harm from the offender because he had sexual relations with my child who is 17 and he works with kids.”
“That’s disgusting. I don’t think you should ever touch a child because that’s taking away their innocence, they don’t deserve that and I hope he rots in jail,” said Caleb Cannon, who lives in Butler.
11 News found out that Halle met the girl while she was working at a cafe he owns in downtown Butler. Then an ongoing relationship started from there and they were seen out in public together flirting. This is according to one of the girl’s loved ones.
“He is despicable. How could you actually do that to a child? I don’t understand,” said Robin Kuzma, a Butler resident.
The café on Center Avenue is in the same building as the Grace Youth and Family Foundation, which Halle founded and runs.
The building is up for sale because Halle allegedly didn’t pay the mortgage.
According to sheriff’s sale documents, Halle owes the bank more than $295,000 and the building will go up for sale on May 19.
Last week, Halle wrote a statement on Facebook that was taken down and got him into trouble.
An indirect criminal contempt complaint alleges that Halle violated the terms and conditions of the sexual violence protection order by making a Facebook post referring to the plaintiff saying quote “I covet your prayers first for the young woman involved.”
The hearings Tuesday morning for the sexual violence protection order and indirect criminal contempt were both continued.
The Butler County District Attorney says Butler City police are handling this case. No criminal charges have been filed.
The girl’s loved ones told 11 News they are very upset over this and hope to get justice.
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