Iowa Teacher's Aide Accused of Witness Tampering - Update

(Iowa City, Iowa) Last year, former teacher's aide at West High School, Colleen Katharine Solberg, was accused of sex with a student in a case that was dismissed due to lack of evidence.

Prosecutors had been unable to get the alleged victim to cooperate.

However, after further investigation the authorities have charged Solberg with witness tampering which helps explain why her initial charges were dismissed.

According to Iowa City Police records, Solberg was in contact with the witness on a daily basis while awaiting trial last year. She is accused of paying the rent and security deposit for his apartment and for covering the cost of hotel rooms for him and his friends.

The witness also received a $6,000 check from Solberg, the report says.

Text messages from the former teacher’s aide told the witness to “keep ur mouth shut!” and “I’m trusting u now more than ever please please don’t talk an I won’t.”

Witness tampering could possibly send Solberg to prison for up to two years. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 26.


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Iowa Teacher's Aide and Male Student Cleared
[Previous 6/19/08 post bumped from 2/22/08]
(Iowa City, Iowa) A 38-year-old former teacher's aide at West High School, Colleen Katharine Solberg, was arrested yesterday for allegedly engaging sex with a 17-year-old male student between June and September 2007.

Solberg is charged with lascivious acts with a minor.

According to police, Solberg, who is no longer with the district, began passing notes and poems to the student and later bought him a cell phone to use. Police said she has admitted to the charge and "advised she knew she had 'crossed a line' by having sexual contact with the victim."

The student left West High after April 2007 and was not enrolled at the time of the incidents, Superintendent Lane Plugge said.

Kelsay said the male victim was 17 at the time of the alleged encounters and is still 17. He said police were informed of the alleged acts by a family member of the victim.

Solberg appeared in court yesterday morning and was released on her own recognizance.


[Update 6/19/08]

Charges dropped against Solberg due to lack of evidence.