Great Falls High Abuse Case: Teacher’s Plea Agreement Details

Former Great Falls High School Teacher Takes Plea Deal

From KRTV:

In October, 2023, William Harning entered his plea of not guilty to six counts of sexual abuse of children.

From court documents, in December of 2021, the principal of Great Falls High called the police over Harning sending an "inappropriate picture of Harning's penis" to a 17-year old student, allegedly Harning's face could be seen in the photo.

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Harning's Phone Wasn't Searched until May 2023

Outside medical professionals said that six of the pictures were sexually explicit. The pictures were of Harning and kids from the ages of about 5 to about 17.

Harning's Teaching Career Is Essentially Over

Harning was first placed on administrative leave, then he resigned his position.  The state Office of Public Instruction suspended his license in 2022.

August 29, 2024, Harning Entered A Plea Agreement

From KRTV:

In this plea agreement, the six felony counts of sexual abuse of children were modified to two misdemeanor counts of obscenity. The second charge was dismissed.

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What Does This Plea Mean for Harning?

For Harning, it looks like he got off pretty dang easy for someone who sent pictures like that to a 17 year old AND had pictures like that in his phone.  Harning was only fined $500, sentenced to six months in the Cascade County Detention Center with that time suspended, and perhaps the only thing that really hurts besides not being a teacher, Harning has to register as a sex offender.

Here's what he could have gotten: In Montana, anyone convicted of obscenity can be fined a minimum of $500 and not more than a thousand dollars plus imprisoned in the county jail for up to 6 months, or both the fine and jail time.

He got off pretty dang easy.