SANDY, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Court documents show that a former Brighton High School choir teacher was charged in Holladay City Court over allegations that he solicited sex from a student and viewed pornography on school property.
39-year-old Steven Richard Smith was charged with Electronic Communication Harassment, Attempted Possession of Pornographic Material in a School and Sexual Solicitation, all Class B misdemeanors.
Smith taught choir for more than a decade.
But in February he resigned about the same time police started investigating him.
"Anytime there's an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a student we want to put a stop to it," says Sgt Gary Young.
And while police investigated Smith's secrets, his students at Brighton High were caught off guard.
"It was really surprising because we had a concert in about a week (last February) and it was a huge concert," says a female choir student who didn't want to be identified. "We didn't expect him to leave."
Sgt. Young says "a tip" started the investigation last January. He says Smith was sending inappropriate messages to a student. And once police began investigating they learned of the adult pornography at his school computer.
"One lead to the other," says Young.
Students who know him as Mr. Smith are stunned.
"I really don't know, it's hard to believe," the choir student says. "I can't imagine it."
Another student who graduated but had Mr. Smith for a teacher is skeptical of the charges.
"You really can't say that it's impossible that it happened, but I still doubt it," says Nick Jones.
Cottonwood Heights Police say Smith sent harassing text messages to a male student offering "opportunities" in exchange for sexual favors. They also alleged that pornography was found on a school computer used by Smith.
The Canyons School District indicated that Smith was employed at Brighton from 1999 to February of 2012, when he resigned.
Smith was not jailed but is ordered to appear in Holladay Justice Court September 12.
