WATERVILLE — A criminal case against former Waterville High School Principal Don Reiter is on hold while investigators probe his phone and computer records.
Reiter, who is accused of asking an 18-year-old high school senior for sex on the first day of the school year, was charged by the Kennebec County District Attorney’s Office in November with official oppression, a Class E misdemeanor applied to public corruption cases.
Reiter was expected to enter a not guilty plea to the charges in Waterville District Court Feb. 9, but Kennebec County District Attorney Maeghan Maloney said Wednesday that the case is on hold while detectives from the Waterville Police Department collect more information.
“We need to make sure that our investigation is done before we start the court process,” Maloney said.
Police got a search warrant for phone and computer records, she said. Maloney could not confirm the warrant was for Reiter’s personal phone and computer but said that the school department had already given consent to search its property.
“We wouldn’t need a search warrant for school property,” she said.
Maloney would not say what police were seeking.
“It is impossible to know if it would lead to additional charges or evidence to support the charge already brought forward,” she said.
Walt McKee, an Augusta attorney representing Reiter in the official oppression case, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
The Waterville School Board dismissed Reiter in November after a monthslong investigation by administrators and a public disciplinary hearing held over several days.
Waterville police also investigated the allegations against Reiter. Police did not initially file charges but reopened the investigation after two former students from Mascenic Regional High School in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, alleged that Reiter had inappropriate relationships with them while he was principal of that school.
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