Former Maine School Employee Indicted for Having Sex With, Impregnating Student

Zachariah Sherburne is charged with gross sexual assault and sexual abuse of a minor

A school district in Maine is under fire for hiring the Superintendent's son after he allegedly impregnated a former student.

According to court documents, Zachariah Sherburne is charged with sexual abuse of a minor and gross sexual assault after he allegedly had sex with a former student multiple times.

The incident happened while he was an ed tech at Sacopee Valley High School at SAD 55 in Hiram, Maine. According to the Superintendent of that district, Sherburne resigned on Feb. 12 after "serious allegations" were made. He said the school district reported the allegations to the "appropriate agencies."

The same week, Sherburne started working at MSAD 6 in Buxton, where his father, Frank Sherburne, is Superintendent.

According to a statement from the MSAD 6 School Board, Zachariah Sherburne worked at the MSAD 6 until March 11.

"The school board was not notified of the allegations until after his employment ended," said School Board Chairperson Rebecca Bowley, in a statement.

Bowley did not address the nepotism issue in Sherburne's hiring. The school district policy is to not employ anyone who is related to a school board member or Superintendent.

Zachariah Sherburne is free on $500 cash bail. His next court date is scheduled for June 2.

According to his lawyer, Sherburne was not directly supervising the alleged victim at Sacopee Valley, and he believes the state's case will fail.

Contact Us