Former band director arrested for sexual assault: Current Westborough, previous Mills teacher charged with 2009 crime

He has been charged with 12 counts of sexual penetration and two counts of oral copulation against a minor. Charges were filed Tuesday and Crowell was reportedly arrested during school hours at the South San Francisco middle school campus, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Crowell resigned from his position at Mills in June 2008, according to the San Mateo Union High School District.

Crowell’s relationship with the then 17-year-old student, who was a member of the high school band, began during her senior year, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. Shortly after the girl graduated, the relationship became more sexual in nature and continued for nearly a year until around the time the girl turned 18, Wagstaffe said.

“This is a case that does not involve forcible acts, it is not a case that involves a stranger jumping out of the bushes, but it’s offensive to us, if the allegations are true, it’s offensive to us because of the position of vulnerability of a young girl that looks up to her teacher,” Wagstaffe said. “Every teacher in California has to be disgusted with something like this because it besmirches the good work that they do.”

Superintendent Kevin Skelly wrote the school was extremely troubled and concerned by the allegations against Crowell.

“The emotional and physical safety of our students is paramount to the entire SMUHSD community. The SMUHSD does not tolerate in any way sexual assault or inappropriate relationships with our students. Any allegations of this nature are swiftly and immediately investigated by the school in collaboration with local law enforcement agencies,” Skelly wrote in a statement.

The school is continuing to cooperate with law enforcement, he noted.

The allegations came to light more than six years after the crime as the victim had kept it secret until she recently confided in friends and a therapist, Wagstaffe said. Police were notified and, after conducting a long investigation, brought forth the charges this week, Wagstaffe said.

Crowell was arrested Wednesday morning and booked on $250,000 bail. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court for an initial felony arraignment the afternoon of Thursday, May 19.

If convicted on all charges, he could face more than 11 years behind bars, Wagstaffe said.

According to Crowell’s LinkedIn profile, the 58-year-old has spent the last four years also serving as the music director for the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Band of the West, a youth group that sporadically performs for veterans and military personnel, and has spent more than two decades as director of Chops Big Band, a Bay Area jazz group.

Crowell has not been associated with the US Naval Sea Cadet Corps nor Band of the West since July 2013, according to a representative of the group.

It is unclear how long Crowell has been employed at Westborough Middle School. Officials with the South San Francisco Unified School District did not immediately return requests for comment about Crowell or whether he would be allowed to return to teaching while the case proceeds.

Skelly and SMUHSD officials sought to assuage parents’ fears and urged any staff, student or family member with information to contact Burlingame police Lt. Jay Kiely at (650) 777-4151.

“On behalf of the entire district team, I want to assure our students and their families that your teen is safe when they come to school,” Skelly wrote. “We have and will continue to do everything within our power to protect our young people from harm. Please know that this allegation against a former teacher is highly unusual.”

samantha@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 106

Note to readers: This story has been changed to reflect the proper time of Crowell's association with Band of the West.