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Grand Coulee teacher arrested on child rape charges

By Amy Cannata
Staff writer
July 17, 2007

Vernon E. Heizer (Okanogan County Jail)

Okanogan County Sheriff's deputies arrested a 50-year-old Nespelem teacher today on child rape charges.

Vernon E. Heizer is middle school teacher in Grand Coulee, where he is also a reserve police officer. He is now charged with second degree rape of a child, third degree rape of a child, child molestation and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said he is not releasing the age of the victim or the victim's relationship to Heizer at this time at the request of the detectives involved in the case.

"That don't want that out there yet," said Rogers, who added, "It will come out soon."

Heizer was arrested at his home on Columbia River Road in Okanogan County. Okanogan Sheriff's deputies had been investigating Heizer for several months.

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