WAPAKONETA — A former band instructor at Wapakoneta schools pleaded not guilty to a slew of sexual battery charges Thursday in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court.
Broc Jason Hottle, 27, is charged with 34 counts of sexual battery that date back to 2012 and 2013. He was arrested Wednesday in Columbus and has since been transported to the Auglaize County Correctional Center. He is being held on $250,000 bond.
Under the terms of his bond, Hottle is to have no contact with alumni of the Wapakoneta High School Band between the years 2011 and 2016. He is also barred from contact with any high school student, with the exception of his stepsister.
The 34-count indictment is a result of an investigation by the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office, the Wapakoneta Police Department and the Auglaize County Prosecutor’s Office. The 34 counts of sexual battery are all third-degree felonies that carry up to 170 years in prison.
Wapakoneta City Schools Superintendent Keith Horner confirmed Thursday that Hottle was employed by the district from 2008 to 2012, and served as an “independent contractor” until March 2016.
Horner said in the email that Hottle was employed as a show choir band director for the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2011-12 school years. He was hired by the district’s band boosters as an independent contractor until the district terminated its relationship with him in March.
“These contractor relationships were approved by the board (of education) when approving the actions of certain band booster activities, and this includes out-of-town trips,” Horner said.
Hottle also served as a percussion instructor for the marching band since 2008 and had worked with the district’s indoor drumline since 2009, according to a letter from Wapakoneta Band Director Steven Wimmers. The letter, addressed Dec. 11, 2015, was seeking approval from the board of education to hire four paid staff members, which included Hottle.
Horner said he found out about Hottle’s arrest through media reports Wednesday evening. He would not comment further on the case.
It is still unclear if the sexual battery charges were directed toward students at Wapakoneta schools.
Auglaize County Sheriff Al Solomon declined to comment on any details of the case, citing an ongoing investigation.
“I am not able to comment on any ongoing case especially one as serious as this and having the potential of a very long prison sentence,” Solomon said in a press release. “I will say that the detectives and all agencies involved worked very hard on this case, and I am very happy with the results.”
