A former Warwick High School Band instructor who had a relationship with a 16-year-old student was sentenced to five years of probation Wednesday.

Michael David Gottier, 23, a college student when hired to help with the band's brass section, also was ordered to undergo sex offender treatment and have no unsupervised contact with minors during his probation.

Judge James P. Cullen ordered the penalties when Gottier pleaded guilty  to corruption of minors for what police said was an "inappropriate relationship" with a female student.

Gottier's charge was the second time in less than a year that a Warwick band instructor had faced a corruption of minor charge.

Early last month, Todd Sheerer, the school's former band director, was sentenced to three to nine years in state prison for six corruption of minor charges in a lengthy illicit relationship with a student.

In Gottier's case, police said he kissed and touched the student when the two met in September at Speedwell Forge Lake and on Speedwell Forge Road in Elizabeth Township, which is north of the high school.

Gottier, who now lives in Chester County, had faced a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the charge.

Assistant District Attorney Karen Mansfield, who prosecuted the case, told Cullen that the victim's family did not want Gottier to be imprisoned but wanted him to be held accountable and not be allowed to work in a school or around children.

The state school code requires all prospective employees to pass a state and federal criminal background check. If corruption of minors or other serious crimes are on the prospective employee's record, he or she will not pass that check. The code also prohibits schools from employing anyone if the prohibited crime occurred within five years of the check.

Cullen told Gottier that even if a minor is a willing participant in such situations, that is no defense to the charge.

Gottier said it was his decision to plead guilty.

"I made a mistake, sir," he said to Cullen, "and I'm willing to face the consequences for it."

Gottier, who was attending Kutztown University when he worked for the band, admitted the encounters, according to prosecutors.

Warwick school officials became aware of the relationship and reported it to Lititz Borough Police. Warwick's school board terminated Gottier effective Sept. 29.

Gottier also was serving as an assistant band and drill instructor at Owen J. Roberts High School in Chester County. He resigned from that position in October.


Staff writer Cindy Stauffer can be reached at cstauffer@LNPnews.com or 481-6024.