Idaho school principal accused of sexually assaulting employee on school property
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Ruth Brown, Idaho Statesman
Fruitland High School’s principal, who is facing three misdemeanor charges, is accused of sexually assaulting and harassing a school employee from September to November last year, often on school property.
The Idaho Statesman reports Mike Fitch has been on paid administrative leave since November, after Idaho State Police began investigating him. He was charged Friday with two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery and one count of patronizing a prostitute.
A review of the probable cause affidavit in the case, written by ISP detectives, outlines a slew of allegations made against Fitch by an employee at Fruitland High. The sexual battery charges stem from an incident in which Payette County prosecutors allege Fitch took the woman’s hand and placed it on his groin, and another incident in which he touched the woman in a sexual way while at school, without her consent.
His charge for patronizing a prostitute stems from an incident in which prosecutors allege he offered to pay the woman money in exchange for sex. The offer to pay her came after she repeatedly declined to have a relationship with him, according to probable cause affidavits.
ISP detectives interviewed the alleged victim in the case. Among other allegations, she claimed that Fitch sent her an unsolicited video of himself masturbating and a picture of his penis. On multiple occasions he allegedly sent her sexual massages through their work email accounts and instant messaging systems.
She told police that Fitch is one of the people who interviewed her before she started working at the school in 2018. The woman told detectives that at least two other employees at Fruitland warned her that Fitch had “a reputation” for being inappropriate.
The probable cause affidavit filed Friday outlined several occasions in which Fitch allegedly approached the female employee at school, propositioning her and making sexual advances in her office, and once in the teachers’ break room. She also accused him of sending her “erotic stories” and sending her random pornographic images from a website.
In the past, Fitch has also served as the school’s head boys basketball coach, but he did not hold that position this year. It would have been Fitch’s 20th season.
Fitch’s 2018-19 contract is valid through June 30, according to the school board. It lists about $77,600 as his annual salary.
Since Fitch has been on leave, Fruitland Superintendent Teresa Fabricius has been serving as acting administrator at the school.
“The district is cooperating fully with officials and we take this situation very seriously,” Fabricius told the Statesman in an email on Friday. “Mr. Fitch has been out of the building since November 16 and he will remain out of the building while this matter is resolved.”
It’s unclear whether the alleged victim still works for the school.
The Fruitland School District Board of Trustees is holding a special meeting to discuss personnel at 5 p.m. Monday. The agenda is posted on the district website.
Fitch’s next court appearance is set for 1:30 p.m. March 5 in Payette County.