Updated with comment from school district





A Sherwood High School teacher has been arrested and faces sexual abuse charges, stemming from accusations of sexual contact with at least three students.

A grand jury indicted Denise Keesee, 38, Monday on six counts of second-degree sexual abuse, according to the Washington County Sheriff's office. Keesee turned herself in this evening, said Sgt. David Thompson, a sheriff's office spokesman.

The case started with a tip from the Department of Human Services, and the Washington County Sheriff's office began investigating in October.

Sherwood School District

in November after learning she was under investigation. Keesee resigned last month, said the district human resources director and interim Sherwood High School principal

DeBoard said the district hired Keesee at the high school in 2006, where she taught special education classes and math. Before she was a teacher in the Beaverton school district and had been licensed to teach in Oregon since 1999, according to state records. Keesee was an Algebra teacher and soccer coach this school year, according to

.

In November, she was under investigation for sexual contact with one male student. Investigators now believe there are at least three male victims in incidents spanning her entire time at Sherwood High School.

"We believe there is a possibility there are more out there," said Detective Robert Rookhuyzen. "Male victims are a very difficult population to work with, primarily because they may not feel they've been victimized. There's reluctance to report, and there's stigma."

Deputies encourage anyone with more information about the case to call the Sheriff's office at 503-846-2673.

The Sheriff's office investigated this case because Keesee is married to a Sherwood police officer. The Sherwood Police Department wanted to avoid any appearance of impropriety with the investigation, said Thompson.

Adam Keesee, the officer, was also the

and the varsity lacrosse coach. A spokesman for the Sherwood Police Department said it reassigned Keesee in late 2012. The district did not renew his coaching contract this January. He was never under investigation, Sherwood and Washington County authorities said.

In April, Sherwood High School administrators

criticizing district officials for not renewing Keesee's coaching contract.

--Fenit Nirappil: 503-294-4029

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