TIGARD, Ore. (KOIN) — A former Tigard High School teacher and coach was arrested on Thursday for allegedly sexually abusing 2 students, and investigators are concerned there may be more victims.
The investigation into Marcus Jolley began in the summer of 2017, Tigard police said, when an alleged victim came forward.
The first instance of the inappropriate sexual contact with a high school student allegedly happened in 2005 and continued throughout the year. The second victim was allegedly abused in 2016.
Susan Stark Haydon, the Director of Community Relations for the Tigard-Tualatin School District, said they were “devastated by the information.”
Haydon told KOIN 6 News a student made a report in May 2017. “We did an investigation and then turned over the results of the investigation to Tigard police, and then Tigard police moved forward from there.”
This situation has been “really hard for everybody,” she said. “You want kids to feel comfortable coming forward if they feel like something has happened to them. People just need to know that we’ll take what people say seriously and follow through.”
Jolley, 40, was described as a well liked good coach.
He taught language arts and reading as well as an instructional coordinator, a coach, an assistant football coach and a JV softball coach, Haydon said.
“He was not working for us when we found out,” she said. So they followed the process for this: investigated, then called the police and told the district where he was working.
A July 21, 2016 press release from Sherwood Schools announced Jolley as the associate principal at Sherwood Middle School.
Kristen Delaney with the Sherwood School District told KOIN 6 News he resigned in May 2017, but did not know the reason why. She added they “received no complaints or grievances about Mr. Jolley during his tenure” in Sherwood.
He also worked in the Beaverton School District beginning in 2001. He was a language arts teacher at Southridge High School through 2004, a football coach in 2008-09, and a consultant with the Aloha-Huber K-8 school from 2009-2010, Beaverton officials confirmed.
Jolley is charged with 5 counts of 2nd-degree sex abuse and one count of 3rd-degree sex abuse. He is likely to be arraigned on February 13, officials said.
Investigators are concerned there may be other victims. Call 503-718-2677 or email tips@tigard-or.gov with information.