LEWISTON — An Edward Little High School teacher appeared in 8th District Court on Wednesday on a felony charge of operating after license revocation on March 8.

Two days earlier the same teacher, Andrew Cessario, 26, of Limerick was arrested at 6:35 a.m. at the school on a separate charge of operating after habitual offender revocation, according to the Auburn Police Department dispatch log and the Androscoggin County Jail arrest log.

Cessario’s license had been revoked because of three drunken-driving convictions. After the third conviction, the Secretary of State declared him a habitual offender and his license was suspended for three years, or until May 31, 2019.

Cessario was the subject of a Sun Journal story on Jan. 28 examining how, or whether, teachers or principals, who are role models to students, are disciplined when convicted of serious driving offenses, considering students are told in school not to drive under the influence.

In that story Cessario was not named. He said in an email to the Sun Journal that the drunken-driving convictions were “a personal matter that happened during a difficult time in my life.”

Cessario teaches social studies at the high school and is a former baseball pitching coach and a former assistant football coach there. He is an assistant baseball coach at Bates College in Lewiston, according to the college website.

On Wednesday, Cessario said he had no comment on the most recent charges.

Superintendent Katy Grondin said Wednesday that Cessario is on paid administrative leave “as we follow our policies for addressing personnel matters.”

In court Wednesday, Cessario told Judge Susan Oram he planned to hire a lawyer.

Because the charge is a felony, he wasn’t asked to enter a plea. The case must first be presented by the District Attorney’s Office to a grand jury for probable cause.

The judge scheduled his next court date for Sept. 17.

Cessario remained free on personal recognizance bail, but was ordered to report to the Androscoggin County Jail within two days to be fingerprinted.

Over 10 years, he had two convictions for criminal operating under the influence. In 2014, he was convicted in York County Superior Court in Alfred of operating under the influence. In 2016, he was convicted in Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn of operating under the influence.

 

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