Montreal teacher could face more sex charges, U.S. authorities say

Virginia police said Monday that Richard Doucet could face additional charges based on information from his laptop computer. Doucet, an elementary school teacher at an expensive Montreal private school, was taken into custody last Thursday shortly after arriving in Fredericksburg, Va.

The 36-year-old faces one count of attempted indecent liberties, one count of using a computer to solicit a minor and two counts of distributing child pornography.

He was denied bail at an arraignment last Friday and is due back in court on June 9.

Authorities maintain Doucet arrived in Virginia from a teacher's conference in Atlanta with the intention of meeting a 13-year-old.

"We . . . obtained a search warrant for his hotel room," said Fredericksburg police spokesperson Natatia Bledsoe.

"We did seize a computer that was located inside the room and it's possible there will be additional charges based on the contents of that computer."

Montreal police searched Doucet's home on Friday and are also analyzing electronic files.

A Virginia detective posing as the 13-year-old had been communicating with a man believed to be Doucet over an Internet chat line, police said.

The Stafford County Sheriff's Office, which is pressing the charges, said the man sought to have a masturbation session with the boy.

"In addition, Doucet had transmitted to the 13-year-old boy numerous child pornography pictures of pre-pubescent boys," the office said in a statement.

Selwyn House School, where Doucet taught English and Math, has held a series of information sessions for concerned parents since news of the arrest broke.

Teachers have also been encouraged to discuss the issue with their students.

"This is a specific incident that we need them (the students) to come forward if they know something," said William Mitchell, the school's headmaster.

Since Doucet's arrest, none of his students have come forward with any complaints about his behaviour.

Virginia police told Mitchell that Doucet insisted he never interfered with his students.

The school nevertheless checked Doucet's belongings.

"We have found nothing at the school or on our system that is inappropriate and that's as much as we can do at this time," Mitchell said.

He described Doucet, who is married, as a "well-liked" teacher and a "valued colleague." A background check conducted when he was hired in 1999 indicated he had no criminal record.

Doucet's arrest comes as Selwyn House prepares to settle a class-action suit alleging three teachers abused students from the 1960s to the 1980s. The teachers no longer work at the school.

The posh school, which charges around $16,000 a year in tuition, has agreed to a $5-million settlement that is awaiting court approval.