Pocono News Section

Music Teacher to Plead Guilty

Music Teacher to Plead Guilty - Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 04:19AM EST

Reported by: Mark Hiller
Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 @ 05:19am EST
BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY - A former Columbia County teacher accused of fondling a boy is scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning.
6-months after his arrest, 46-year-old Brian Fish, a former Berwick Area Middle School music teacher, is scheduled to plead guilty this morning.

Fish waived charges of indecent assault and corruption of minors at a hearing in November -- setting the stage for today's court date.
Prosecutors say Fish invited a 14-year-old boy onto his porch last September.
Then they say he hugged the boy and touched him inappropriately before the teen punched Fish in the head and ran off to call authorities.
Investigators say the night of the arrest, Fish admitted he'd been drinking but claimed the contact was accidental.

Fish's preliminary hearing was postponed 4-times before it was ever held.
He also underwent psychiatric evaluation.
Fish first became a teacher in the Berwick Area School District in 1994.
He had 100 students under his direction when he last taught.
Fish was immediately suspended from his job after his arrest.
He gave up his teacher's license in November
He'll likely set the stage to give up his freedom when he pleads guilty to indecent assault and corruption of minors.