Updated: Kentucky teacher faces 22 rape charges. School district ‘dismayed’

A man charged with 22 counts of third-degree rape involving one alleged victim was a Marion County Area Technology Center teacher, according to the Lebanon Police Department.

Matthew R. Edwards, 31, of Greensburg, was arrested by Kentucky State Police Thursday on a warrant from the Lebanon Police Department, a police citation in online court records said. He was charged with 22 counts of third-degree rape and two counts of prohibited use of electronic communication systems to procure a minor in a sex offense, records said.

Edwards pleaded not guilty in Marion Circuit Court Thursday.

The charges stem from 22 sexual incidents between Edwards and a female technology center student between August 2019 and December 2019, according to Lebanon police Sgt. Tim Abell. Abell said the victim was 16 at the time.

The electronic communication charges were the result of allegedly explicit text messages Edwards sent the victim, Abell said.

Police were made aware of the alleged rapes by Child Protective Services in October 2020, Abell said, and launched an investigation.

Edwards was first identified as an industrial maintenance instructor in an article from The Lebanon Enterprise. In a statement, Marion County school officials told the Herald-Leader Thursday that “Marion County Public Schools was dismayed to learn of the charges involving a teacher at the local Area Technology Center.”

“These allegations in no way represent the core values or culture of MCPS or our partner organizations. As always, creating a safe environment for our students is our number one priority,” the statement said.

Since learning of the allegations, the district has fully cooperated with law enforcement and the Kentucky Department of Education, which employs the teacher, officials said. The state Education Department said that Edwards was placed on investigative leave on Oct. 12.

“The safety of our students is our No. 1 priority,” the Education Department told the Herald-Leader Thursday. “We have offered our full cooperation and assistance to local and state law enforcement in this matter.”

The department said it couldn’t comment further because the investigation was ongoing.

Matthew Edwards remained Thursday on the staff list for the school district technology center.

Edwards was released from custody earlier on a bond and ordered to have no contact with the witness, court records said.

Edwards has a court hearing scheduled for July 8. Each of Edwards’ charges is classified as a Class D felony in state law, punishable by one to five years in prison plus a five-year period of supervision after release.

This story was originally published March 4, 2021 at 6:58 AM.