LEWISTON — A former Edward Little High School teacher Wednesday denied two charges of driving after his license was revoked.

Andrew Cessario, 26, of Limerick pleaded not guilty in 8th District Court to two felony charges of operating after revocation. Each charge is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Cessario is a former social studies teacher, former baseball pitching coach and former assistant football coach at Edward Little High School in Auburn.

Prosecutors said he drove a vehicle on a public way on May 2 and again on May 7 after his license had been revoked for two convictions of operating under the influence, once in July 2014 and once in April 2016.

Judge Richard Mulhern kept Cessario’s cash bail at $1,500. Conditions of his release include no alcohol or illegal drugs for which he can be searched and tested if suspected of a violation.

He is barred from operating any motor vehicle under any circumstances unless he is licensed to do so.

Cessario was also charged with operating after revocation on March 8. He pleaded not guilty to that charge.

He is due in court in November on the three charges to determine whether the cases will proceed to trial.

Auburn Schools Superintendent Katy Grondin said Wednesday that Cessario resigned his teaching post at the end of the 2017-18 school year. He had been placed on paid administrative leave after the charge in March.

Cessario’s license had been revoked because of three drunken-driving convictions.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

He hired an attorney, Verne Paradie, who successfully filed a motion earlier this week to continue both court cases, which had been scheduled for Monday. Paradie appeared in court with Cessario on Wednesday.

Paradie told the Sun Journal after Cessario’s arraignment Wednesday that “many former players that Andrew has coached, as well as teachers and administrators, have written letters in support of Andrew.” Paradie said Cessario’s driving offenses “don’t reflect the person that (he) is and the influence he had on the young people he coached and taught.”

cwilliams@sunjournal.com

Andrew Cessario, 26, of Limerick appears Wednesday in 8th District Court in Lewiston with his attorney, Verne Paradie, on two charges of operating after revocation. The former Edward Little High School teacher and coach pleaded not guilty. (Christopher Williams/Sun Journal)