Police charged 41-year-old John Skatrud with three new counts of indecent liberties with a student and one count of sexual offense with a child.
Skatrud's attorney appeared for him at a hearing Friday morning. Judge Ned Mangum said the indecent liberties charges could lead to as much as four years in prison if Skatrud is found guilty, but the sex offence with child carries the most severe punishment - up to life in prison.
Skatrud's attorney explained why his client wasn't in court.
"Per statute, Mr. Skatrud can waive his first appearance. He did so today. We hope to resolve this case without a trial," said Hart Miles.
That likely means Skatrud is considering pleading guilty to at least some of the charges against him to avoid a life sentence.
Skatrud was first charged in February with two counts of indecent liberties with a child. A day earlier, he resigned as a gym teacher at Yates Mill Elementary School.
Prior to that job, he coached women's volleyball at NC State.
Before he got out of jail in February, the judge in that case warned him not to have contact with any persons under age 17 without direct supervision. He apparently abided by that condition. The latest incident he's accused of - in which he allegedly put his hand down the pants of a six-year-old girl at school - is said to have taken place while he was still teaching either late last year or early this year.
Skatrud's attorney says the prosecutor in the case and a superior court judge agreed to consolidate all the charges against Skatrud under a single bond of $150,000.
Skatrud put up real estate as collateral in order to get out of jail.
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