By Steve Maynard
The News Tribune
TACOMA, Wash. — A Federal Way police officer planned to plead not guilty Tuesday to charges of inappropriately touching and making sexual comments to a 17-year-old student.
But Terry Wilson’s arraignment waiver and not guilty plea weren’t delivered to Federal Way Municipal Court in time for the morning session.
Clifford Morey, Wilson’s attorney, said the mix-up was due to “internal confusion in our office.” Morey told The News Tribune he delivered the plea later Tuesday.
Judge Michael Morgan scheduled a hearing Friday for Wilson to explain. By signing an arraignment waiver, a defendant gives up the right to be present at arraignment, at which the defendant is charged and typically enters a plea.
TWO MISDEMEANOR CHARGES
Morey said Wilson, a school resource officer based at Federal Way High School, is “absolutely not guilty.” He’s facing two misdemeanor charges: fourth-degree assault and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.
Each crime carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine. The student, now 18, is a senior at Federal Way High.
Details of the allegations emerged from court documents filed Tuesday:
— Wilson, 48, touched or rubbed the student’s legs on five occasions in his office, saying they were “smooth” or “nice.”
— Wilson told the girl he dreamed about having sex with her in his office.
— Wilson sat next to the girl at a dinner at the high school June 1, touched her calf and commented on how smooth her legs were.
After the dinner, Wilson asked the girl to go with him to his office to get something. In his office, he touched her right breast, court documents state.
ACCUSATIONS PASSED ALONG
The student talked to a Federal Way police employee the next day while both were volunteering at the Special Olympics at Fort Lewis, the court papers state. The two, who attended the same church, had three phone conversations over the next several days, and the police employee reported to her superiors June 8 the accusations against Wilson.
On June 4, the court papers say, Wilson walked into a special-education class where the student was helping. The student told a teaching aide she needed to go to the bathroom. The aide told her to stay, but the girl again asked to leave. Later, after Wilson left, the aide asked the girl why she was acting strangely and was told nothing was wrong.
The student also told Wilson on June 4 that he had to stop his unwanted attention toward her, according to the court documents. Wilson agreed and said he didn’t want to lose his job and family, the documents say. Wilson is married and has children.
Federal Way Police Chief Brian Wilson, who is no relation to Terry Wilson, asked an outside agency, the Renton Police Department, to investigate the allegations. Auburn City Attorney Dan Heid is prosecuting the case for Federal Way.
Terry Wilson, who worked at the high school for four years, is on paid administrative leave. He has no prior history of discipline or sustained complaints with the Police Department, where he’s worked for five years.
Copyright 2007 The News Tribune