Monroe dance studio owner charged with molesting student
Snohomish County dance instructor pleads not guilty to charge
Snohomish County dance instructor pleads not guilty to charge
EVERETT, Wash. -- A Snohomish County dance instructor is facing child molestation charges after police said he made several inappropriate contacts with one of his teenage students.
Police allege 32-year-old Kristopher Backman groomed one of his female teenage students and touched her inappropriately during several private dance lessons.
The investigation into Backman began back in November 2015 after the mother of one of his teenage students called police to report the incidents.
Court records allege Backman has a pattern of similar behavior in his past with a different student, but until now he had never been criminally charged.
“This is an elite dance studio,” said Debbie Willis with the Monroe Police Department. “You have to have a specific level of skill to be accepted into this program.”
Police said the students at the Stanza Performing Art Center in Monroe spend a lot of money to learn from the studio’s owner, Backman.
According to court documents late last year the parent of a 15-year-old student called police alleging that Backman had touched the young girl in her groin area repeatedly.
Court records said the girl had been doing private, one-on-one lessons with Backman. Police said it was the perfect opportunity to groom her.
Court records say Backman faced similar accusations back in 2008 in Redmond, according to court documents, but prosecutors declined to file charges in part because the 14-year-old victim at first denied anything happened.
Willis said the most recent incidents should be a reminder for families to talk with their kids about appropriate touching.
“Anytime you have your children in that trust relationship with an adult, we have to have appropriate controls in,” she said. “Parents need to be involved.”
Backman pleaded not guilty to his charges on Thursday. He was released from jail on his own recognizance.