CLEVELAND — Bond was set at $25,000 as former Lake Catholic teacher Andrew Piczer faced a judge Tuesday morning on four counts of sexual battery involving a student.
The case has now been assigned to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Joan Synenberg with his first pretrial set for Monday, Jan. 29 at 9 a.m.
Piczer, who was indicted last week, has pleaded not guilty.
Court records show the allegations date back to Oct. 22. Piczer had been placed on administrative leave after the allegations were made, but he was later terminated from the school on Dec. 21, according to the Diocese of Cleveland.
"The safety and wellbeing of its students is always the highest priority for the administration at Lake Catholic High School, and its leaders will not hesitate to act in their best interests," according to a statement from the Diocese.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley issued a statement about the incident, saying teachers are entrusted to educate and provide safe environments for their students.
“Mr. Piczer violated that trust by engaging in sexual conduct with his student and he will be held accountable,” he said.
The Mentor Police Department previously told 3News that they investigated the matter and determined that any inappropriate contact that may have occurred would have happened in Lakewood. Following their investigation, Mentor police turned over the case to the Lakewood Police Department.
3News' Dave "Dino" DeNatale contributed to this report.