Former Sand Springs Substitute Teacher Sentenced To 20 Years For Molestation

A former Sand Springs substitute teacher was sentenced to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to multiple felony sex crimes charges.

Steven Marcus Beard, 38, was accused of raping a 14-year-old student. He was charged with 10 counts of lewd molestation, one count of lewd or indecent proposal to a child, one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor, one count of manufacturing child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

Monday, he pleaded guilty to all but the manufacturing child pornography charge. That charge was dismissed.

Beard was arrested after the mother of the girl found sexually explicit text messages on her daughter's cell phone, and the girl told her they were from a substitute teacher at her school. Police said they also found on her phone a picture of the girl and a man who looked like Beard in a room together.

Beard was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

8/13/2012 Related Story: Sand Springs Substitute Teacher Accused Of Raping 14-Year-Old Student