Former Midway principal, coach charged with 9 sexually-related felonies

By Donna Hales
Phoenix Staff Writer

September 26, 2007 01:24 am

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A former principal and football coach at Midway Public Schools in Council Hill was charged Tuesday with nine sexually-related felonies involving two female students at Midway.
An arrest warrant also was issued for Curtis Thomas Been, 37, of Henryetta.
An affidavit filed in the case states a 14-year-old girl disclosed to sheriff’s investigators, her mother, her sister and girlfriends that she had been in an ongoing sexual relationship with Been.
Chad Richardson, Been’s attorney, said he, too, had been conducting some interviews “and everything about my investigation revealed it (sex crimes) didn’t happen.”
The girl stated she had been infatuated with the defendant and had a “crush” on him for some time, the affidavit states.
She stated when Been approached her about having sex, she agreed. She indicated the two of them had sex on three separate occasions — Been’s office, the gym weight room and the cafeteria.
A search warrant executed in Been’s office at Midway produced items under an alternate light source, giving a preliminary indication of possible human sperm and body fluids, the affidavit states.
Interviews were conducted and written statements obtained from the school staff, students and other witnesses, the affidavit states.
Richardson said when allegations surfaced shortly before the school year started, Been was placed on suspension. Midway Superintendent Don Ford could not be reached for comment late Tuesday afternoon.
Charges against Been are:
• Three counts of second-degree rape, each carrying a sentence one to 15 years.
• One count of rape by instrumentation, which carries a sentence of five years to life in prison without possibility of parole.
• Three counts of lewd molestation, each carrying a sentence of three to 20 years in prison.
• One count of forcible sodomy, which carries up to 20 years in prison.
• One count of lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child under 16, which carries from one to 20 years in prison.