Former Frenchtown Teacher Pleads Not Guilty To Endangering Welfare Of A Child

A former teacher at Frenchtown High School, 44 year-old Michael Botsford, entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of endangering the welfare of a child in Missoula Justice Court on Thursday.

According to court documents, Botsford allegedly exchanged over 14,000 messages with a 15 year-old female student. Most of the time, the two did not discuss sex explicitly. In one message, Botsford allegedly told Jane Doe that sex would wait until they were married, and that he wanted to be her 'first'.

Charging documents go on to state that Jane Doe was interviewed at First Step, where she told investigators about at least ten occasions where Botsford hugged and kissed her on the forehead while they sat on the couch in his classroom.

Botsford entered a plea of not guilty to having an inappropriate relationship with a minor and was released on his own recognizance by Judge Karen Orzech, with orders not to have any contact with the victim, or any other children under the age of 18.