GREENWOOD, Ind. — A former Southport and Greenwood teacher is accused of child molesting.

Shane Williams, 46, is charged with one count of child molesting and one count of dissemination of matter harmful to minors, according to court records.

He had been previously employed as a teacher at Southport High School from July 2021 through September 2022, when he resigned, according to Perry Township Schools. Greenwood Community School Corporation said Williams worked there for two years before leaving in May 2021.

The statement from Perry Township Schools:

Perry Township Schools is aware of the disturbing allegations against one of its former teachers. Although we cannot comment on this case specifically, we can say that all teachers and staff are held to the highest standards. Before hiring, our district conducts thorough background checks, which includes criminal, sexual offender and child abuse history checks. Additionally, teachers undergo a rigorous screening and interview process.

The statement from Greenwood Community School Corporation:

The Greenwood Community School Corporation is aware of the troubling allegations against a former staff member. The individual in question was a district employee for two years and left the district in May 2021.

Upon learning of the allegations, district staff immediately contacted the Indiana Department of Child Services. The individual was arrested shortly thereafter.

Due to the ongoing police investigation, we cannot share further details at this time. Our focus is on the safety and wellbeing of our students. We are fully cooperating with local law enforcement officers as they conduct their investigation.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the City of Greenwood Police Department at 317-346-6336.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the investigation started in January 2022 when a woman approached with concerns that Williams had been molesting two juvenile girls.

One of the girls said she’d been having “inappropriate conduct” with Williams for the past three years. The encounters involved Williams having the girl watch pornographic videos on his phone as he urged her to perform sex acts on him. He also showed her videos of him having sex, according to court documents.

He told the girl there would be “severe consequences” if she told anyone about it. The girl said Williams “would ask her to do it and would make her feel bad if she did not,” according to court documents. There were multiple encounters, the girl told an investigator with the Department of Child Services.

The girl also said Williams was trying to make everyone else believe she was lying. A second juvenile told police she was aware of the abuse and that Williams had tried to get her to engage in the same behavior, although she had told him no. Williams told both girls that the behavior was acceptable and implied it was normal.

The first juvenile said the abuse started when she was about 9 years old and continued for years. Sometimes they played “truth or dare,” the girl said, and Williams had her dress up in lingerie at least once.

One of the encounters happened in his classroom at Greenwood Middle School, according to court documents. The girl said Williams was a basketball coach at the school and she stayed late. They went to a small room inside the classroom where she performed a sex act; Williams thanked her and said he’d buy her favorite candy for her.

A search of Williams’ phone turned up sexually explicit videos, including those showing Williams having sex, according to court documents.

The probable cause also described a recording the girl made of a conversation between her and Williams in which they discussed the behavior. He told her he “thought it was something you enjoyed” and then asked her if she was recording their conversation because he felt “like they’re trying to set me up in the court.”