Trial delayed for teachers accused of sexual relationship with teen

A pretrial hearing for a married couple charged with having sexual relations with a 17-year-old has been delayed.

Daniel Shepard, a retired Westminster High School teacher, and Gay Davidson-Shepard, who is on administrative leave from teaching at Mesa View Middle School, will go back to court Thursday at the West Justice Center in Westminster.

Deputy District Attorney Angela Hong requested the extension July 7.

The next hearing will focus on the prosecution’s desires to have the defendants surrender their passports, said district attorney spokeswoman Farrah Emami.

The couple pleaded not guilty at their June 2 arraignment. Both are charged with oral copulation of a minor, sodomy of a person younger than 18 and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Shepard is also charged with possession and control of child pornography.

He faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison, she a maximum of eight years and four months.

— Michael Miller