On September 30, a former Highland High School teacher was sentenced to prison for up to two years. 41-year-old Justin Rapier of Marion was convicted of sexual exploitation by a school employee, an aggravated misdemeanor. He was originally charged with engaging in a pattern of sexual exploitation by a school employee, a class D felony. The maximum possible punishment was five years in prison.

Rapier was placed on leave in January of 2022, after allegations against him were made. An investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office led to his arrest in the same month when it was found that he had engaged in sexual acts with one of his students.

In addition to the prison sentence, Rapier will be placed on the Sex Offender Registry for the rest of his life.