Former Storey teacher on house arrest while awaiting child sex hearing

A former Virginia City teacher accused in the sexual assault of male students who was rearrested last week for allegedly, in violation of his bail, being in the company of a 16-year-old runaway — has been released from the Storey County Jail and is on house arrest.

On Monday, Judge Ed Johnson released William Beeson, 59, on house arrest. As a condition of the release, Beeson is subject to “warrantless search and seizure” conditions

Beeson is awaiting a June preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to try him on charges of one count of suspicion of felony sexual assault of a child under the age of 16; one general count of suspicion of felony sexual assault and one count of suspicion of misdemeanor unlawful conduct with a child.

According to the criminal complaint, the sexual assault charge stems from the allegation that Beeson engaged in a sex act at his Virginia City home between June 1995 and June 1996 with a then-15-year-old boy. The third count relates to Beeson’s alleged “rubbing, petting, and or fondling” between January 2007 to May 2007 of a 16-year-old boy.

The allegations related to the third count came to light in August and the Storey County School Board fired Beeson from his position with the district.

He was arrested In January and upon posting bail was ordered by the court to not have any contact with any child under the age of 18 unless another adult is present.

On May 2, Beeson was arrested at his job for allegedly being in the company of a 16-year-old male described by Storey County Sheriff's Sgt. Ken Quirk as a runaway and incorrigible juvenile.

There are no allegations that any sexual assault or activity occurred between Beeson and the runaway, Quirk said.