Former Utah teacher ordered to stand trial for allegedly having sex with student

A former Kaysville charter school teacher and Weber State University adjunct faculty member accused of forcible sodomy of a teen was ordered this week to stand trial on the charges.

Stephen Niedzwiecki, 33, is charged with eight counts of forcible sodomy, all first-degree felonies, along with one count of attempted rape and two counts of forcible sexual abuse, all second-degree felonies.

This week, 2nd District Judge Michael Allphin ordered him to stand trial after he heard testimony from the alleged victim during a preliminary hearing. No trial date has been set.

Allegations against the one-time teacher and basketball coach were brought to light in December after the student's parents contacted the Department of Child and Family Services and law enforcement.

Assistant Bountiful Police Chief Ed Biehler said in December that the girl and Niedzwiecki first became acquainted when she was 14. She was a student of his at Jefferson Academy — a charter school serving grades kindergarten through ninth — and one of his basketball players. The two allegedly began having sex when the girl was 15 and Niedzwiecki was tutoring her off campus, Biehler said.

Biehler said Niedzwiecki taught at Jefferson Academy from 2010 to 2011 before going to work for Quest Academy last summer. None of the alleged crimes occurred at Quest or involved Quest students, Biehler said.

Niedzwiecki had also taught anthropology at WSU as recently as this fall, and had been first hired on a semester-by-semester basis four or five years ago, according to Allison Hess, spokeswoman for the university.

jmiller@sltrib.com