Police: Man used relationship with Kentucky teacher to approach multiple students for sex

A man used his relationship with an Estill County High School teacher to reach out to students with whom he wanted to have sex, police said.

Estill County Superintendent Jeff Saylor said teacher Sherry Murphy resigned April 4. Murphy and the man that she allegedly had a relationship with, Torstein Torstienson, were charged, according to police and court records.

Kentucky State Police investigators went to the school April 3 to investigate a complaint that Torstein Torstienson communicated with an underage female by Facebook messenger for the purpose of having sex but was unsuccessful , Kentucky State Police Trooper Robert Purdy said.

Torstienson made contact with the female juvenile by having a relationship with Murphy, who knew of the communication but did not report it, Purdy said.

Torstienson was charged with with first-degree unlawful transaction with a minor and tampering with physical evidence. He was taken to the Three Forks Regional Jail.

Murphy allegedly knew of three other female students who had been contacted by Torstienson but did not report the contact, Purdy said. She allegedly deleted conversations between herself and Torstienson in an attempt to conceal information from police.

Murphy was charged with first-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, tampering with physical evidence and failure to report child neglect or abuse first-degree, Purdy said.

Due to a fractured back, Murphy was unable to be lodged in the Three Forks Regional Jail but was given a $10,000 bond and home incarceration, he said.