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A high school principal from Pennsylvania is facing dozens of charges stemming from allegations that he had a multi-year sexual relationship with one of his students. Roger Weaver Freed, 34, was charged with 30 counts of third-degree felony school-intercourse/sexual contact with a student, third-degree felony corruption of minors -- defendant age 18 or above, second-degree felony sexual assault, second-degree aggravated indecent assault without consent, and three misdemeanor counts of furnishing liquor to a minor.
Authorities said that Freed's relationship with the student started in 2015 and lasted until April 2022. The victim told police that he befriended Freed following the death of a family member and viewed him as an "older brother." In 2017, the relationship turned sexual, causing the victim to feel "overwhelming guilt" after being told to keep what happened a secret.
"Freed stressed the importance of not telling a soul and that their relationship was private," court documents stated.
"'You promise not to tell anyone. I could lose my job over this,'" the student quoted Freed as saying.
The victim said that the two continued to have four to five sexual encounters every week for the next two years. The two remained in a sexual relationship even after the student graduated from high school and went to college.
Freed was released on a $175,000 supervised bail. He will be required to wear an ankle monitor and is barred from having contact with the victim or unsupervised contact with any minors.
Freed previously served as the ninth-grade principal at Williamsport Area High School and was about to take over as the school's head principal. The school district has not commented on the allegations.