Teacher charged with sex-related offences involving a student

56-year-old Timothy Stanutz of Ottawa is facing charges of sexual assault and sexual exploitation (Facebook)

Ottawa Police have laid sexual assault related charges against an Ottawa teacher.

56-year-old Timothy Stanutz of Ottawa is facing charges of sexual assault and sexual exploitation. Police say the alleged incidents happened while the man was employed as a teacher with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

In a statement, the OCDSB said it is fully cooperating with Ottawa Police to assist in their investigation.

"The accused has been placed on immediate leave while the investigation is underway," Sharlene Hunter of OCDSB said in a statement.

The charges were laid following an investigation into allegations the male teacher inappropriately touched one of his students.

"The Ottawa Police will respect a victim's wishes to pursue or not pursue the matter before the courts," said Staff Sergeant Angela McDade with the Ottawa Police Service Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section in a media release. "The reporting of these incidents by victims to police is key for investigators to identify suspects and determine crime trends."

Police are worried there may be more victims. Anyone with information is asked to contact them.

Stanutz is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.

This is the third Ottawa teacher to be charged with sexual assault related offences in just over a month. Naoum Abi-Samra, a 57-year-old teacher employed by the Central East French Catholic School Board, was charged on April 29 with two counts each of sexual assault and sexual interference stemming from allegations dating back to September 2013.

On March 31, 2016, Ottawa Police charged 30-year-old Jessica Beraldin with sexual assault, sexual exploitation and making sexually explicit material available to a child.

None of these charges have been proven in court.