Ex-middle school teacher pleads guilty to sex charge

Kim Smith

Thursday, July 12, 2001 | 11:09 a.m.

A former middle school teacher accused of sexually assaulting a former student accepted a deal Wednesday.

Deputy District Attorney Bill Kephart said Newell Leavitt, 48, pleaded guilty to statutory sexual seduction and admitted that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him of child abuse causing substantial mental harm.

The seduction charge carries a one to five-year prison sentence, and the child abuse charge is punishable by a two to 20-year sentence. Kephart said he intends to ask District Judge Kathy Hardcastle to run the two sentences consecutively when Leavitt is sentenced in September.

Leavitt, who was scheduled to go to trial next week, is also eligible for probation.

Had Leavitt gone to trial and been convicted, he would have faced a possible life sentence. He was originally charged with four counts of sexual assault of a minor under 16, three counts of statutory sexual seduction and three misdemeanor counts of open or gross lewdness and indecent exposure.

According to police, the 15-year-old victim went to Lyal Burkholder Middle School in Henderson in February to pick up a younger sister. While there, she decided to visit some of her former teachers, one of whom was Leavitt.

Leavitt is accused of assaulting the girl during the visit. He maintains the sex acts were consensual.

Kephart said it isn't the first time Leavitt has been accused of wrongdoing. A paternity suit was filed against him in Cedar City, Utah by a freshman student.

That lawsuit was resolved, but it's unclear how, Kephart said.

Eight Clark County School District employees have been arrested this year for allegedly having sexual relations with students or having child pornography in their possession.