A Denison High School teacher and coach was arrested last Tuesday, July 19, based on an allegation of sexual abuse of a female student. 28-year-old Bryant Rasmussen was arrested after a warrant was issued that Tuesday morning. He was charged with sexual abuse in the 3rd degree, a class C felony, and sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist, a class D felony. Rasmussen was held on a $10,000 bond and released after posting the amount. The charges stem from criminal complaints filed by the victim during an interview with police early in July. The victim told police the alleged assault began during the spring 2015 semester. She is reported to have been 15 years old at the time. Rasmussen did not appear before the magistrate in person this morning, but his attorneys did file the appropriate paperwork for the initial appearance. Assistant Crawford County Attorney, Colin Johnson said, “Our office is still reviewing the matter. We have not filed any official charges yet. It’s still being reviewed, and once we have all the information we will make a decision at that point.” He went on to say, “I can’t say at this point what the official charges will be.” Johnson noted that Crawford County Attorney Roger Sailer will be the primary attorney working on this case. Rasmussen has taught at the Denison Community School District since 2012 and coached boys and girls cross-country since May 2013. He has been placed on administrative leave by the school and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 9 at 9:30 a.m.
