HOT SPRINGS -- The recently retired Lake Hamilton Middle School principal who was charged June 3 with felony counts of second-degree sexual assault and sexual indecency with a child pleaded innocent Monday to both charges in Garland County District Court.
Lester Dewayne Curry, 60, appeared in court with attorney Brent Miller to enter his pleas. A review hearing is set for Aug. 15 in District Court. If convicted, Curry could face up to 20 years in prison on the sexual assault count and up to six years on the sexual indecency charge.
The Garland County sheriff's office said in a news release June 3 that Curry had an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old female student at Lake Hamilton Middle School, where Curry had retired as principal at the end of the 2016 school year.
Sheriff's office investigators executed a search warrant June 3 at Curry's residence on South Bumblebee Road in Glenwood with assistance from the Montgomery County sheriff's office before his arrest.
Curry surrendered to sheriff's investigators around 2 p.m. that day at Miller's office. He was released on $7,500 bond a few hours later.
Prosecuting Attorney Terri Harris said before Curry was arrested that an order limiting pretrial publicity had been issued. She noted that the gag order "had some specifics about what can and cannot be released before his arraignment in court."
Curry submitted his resignation to Superintendent Steve Anderson on May 26. His retirement will be effective June 30.
Curry was a coach and social studies teacher at Lake Hamilton High School from 2002-2005. He was a junior high principal at Centerpoint before returning to Lake Hamilton. He served as the athletic director, head football coach, assistant boys basketball coach and social studies teacher at Centerpoint from 2000-2002.
He was previously employed in Arkansas as a coach and social studies teacher at Hope and Mountain Home. Curry also worked in Missouri at Cabool, Branson, Springfield, Ozark and Marionville.
The Lake Hamilton School Board voted June 8 to hire Brian Bales, assistant principal of the middle school, as the school's new principal.
State Desk on 06/21/2016