WATERBORO — The attorney for a 36-year-old special education teacher who is charged by York County Sheriff’s deputies with having sex with a 15-year-old former student and giving him marijuana said his client denies the charges.

Massabesic High School teacher Jessica Pomerleau was released from York County Jail on $10,000 bail Tuesday evening, several hours after she turned herself in to authorities. She is charged with gross sexual assault and aggravated unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs, both Class C felonies, in connection with a relationship she is alleged to have had with a 15-year-old boy, said Maj. William King of the sheriff’s office. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison on each count.

“The sheriff’s office has done what they term an investigation and we absolutely deny any sexual relationship with any student at any time,” said Pomerleau’s attorney, John Webb, in a telephone interview this morning. As well, he said the first he and his client heard of the drug charge was when she turned herself in Tuesday afternoon.

“We deny any allegation she somehow distributed or gave drugs to any juvenile at any time,” Webb added.

Pomerleau, of Limerick, has been employed by Regional School Union 57 since 2007, first as an education technician and as a special education teacher beginning in 2008, said Interim Superintendent John Davis. She is one of three teachers in the high school’s alternative education initiative called the “Success” program, instituted in September 2010.

Davis said the allegations assert the relationship took place last school year and possibly during this summer.

Pomerleau surrendered to authorities late Tuesday afternoon. Deputies, armed with a warrant, searched her home and removed evidence last week, said King. While acknowledging cell phone records were seized, King declined to say what other evidence was collected. Police believe one of the incidents took place in South Portland and King said police in that community are examining Pomerleau’s computer.

According to King, the allegations came to light about one month ago after the mother of another student told York County School Resource Deputy Jason Solomon that Pomerleau allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with a former student.

He said law enforcement has no reason to believe there are additional victims.

A clerk at York County Superior Court this morning said the office had no information as to when Pomerleau’s first appearance would be scheduled.

Pomerleau has been out of the classroom since late September, said Davis, the same day the school district administration first learned of the alleged incidents.

“We were apprised of the allegations ”¦ I asked her to meet with me. She has been removed from the classroom and she’s been off of school grounds since Sept. 29,” said Davis.

He said Pomerleau won’t be allowed back on school property until the matter is resolved, and is currently on paid administrative leave.

Davis said he met with school administrative staff Friday and that Massabesic High School Principal Chris Elkington planned to send out a message to parents through the school’s alert system.

In addition to the criminal investigation, the school district conducts its own probe when allegations about alleged wrong-doing arise.

“We do not know for certain what has occurred ”“ we only know what has been alleged,” said Davis, in a prepared statement. “We take seriously any allegation that a member of the educational community in our district or any district would engage in an inappropriate relationship with a student. This is a very serious issue and we will work closely with the law enforcement to determine all the facts and then make the appropriate decisions. We are asking our community to allow the Sheriff’s Office to complete their investigation and for our office to conduct our own internal investigation.

“Based on the information we have received, the allegation is limited to this one teacher,” Davis went on to say. “I am very proud of the work our entire staff does daily. This is a school community of 3,400 students and around 500 staff who work successfully with our students each day. If the allegation is true, then we know it is far from the norm.”

Massabesic High School instructs students from Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, Shapleigh and Waterboro, the six communities that make up RSU 57.

RSU 57 board chairman Karla Bergeron declined to comment on the allegations, but described the situation as heart-wrenching.

“We’re not pre-determining any outcome and are waiting for law enforcement to do their job,” she said.

Pomerleau did not return a telephone message seeking comment.

Webb said his client is doing as well as can be expected.

“One aspect of these kind of cases is (that they’re) the type of allegations you can never recover from,” even if an individual charged is ultimately acquitted, Webb said.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.