Tuesday, March 18, 2008 2:12 PM PDT

By Leslie Slape

Police Saturday arrested two Longview men - including an R.A. Long High School math teacher  - on suspicion of having a sexual relationship with the same 15-year-old girl.

Monday, Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Stephen Warning found probable cause to hold Dennis Edward Baker, 38, of Longview for 16 counts of third-degree rape of a child and furnishing liquor to a minor. He set bail at $20,000 and scheduled arraignment for March 27. Baker has hired Jim Morgan as his attorney.

Warning found probable cause to hold Joseph Ryan Starkey, 25, of Longview for 13 counts of third-degree rape of a child, unlawful harboring of a minor and furnishing liquor to a minor. He set bail at $75,000, appointed the Office of Public Defense to Starkey's case and set arraignment for April 1.

Starkey told Longview police he is the victim's math teacher at R.A. Long High School.

Officers initially went to Starkey's apartment in the 1100 block of 16th Avenue on a tip that a runaway girl was there. Police said Baker was outside the apartment when they arrived.

While officers were talking with the girl, she yelled at Baker to go away because their relationship was over. In front of two other witnesses besides police, she shouted that Baker has been having sex with her for the past year and a half, police said.

She told police she and Baker had sexual intercourse and oral sex two or three times a month, and that he gave her alcohol, a cell phone, various gifts and cash.

Police said Baker admitted knowing the girl but denied having a sexual relationship with her.

The girl told police she also had a sexual relationship with Starkey.

Police said Starkey admitted harboring a runaway between March 12 and 15, and to having sexual intercourse with her and buying her alcohol.

He is also an assistant coach for the R.A. Long boys soccer team.

Superintendent Nick Seaver said Monday evening "At the present time, he's in jail, and we don't have any more information than (The Daily News has). If he's released, my guess is he's going to be ordered by the judge to not have contact with young people. He certainly would not be back in school, but would be put on administrative leave" pending investigation.

"He has contractual rights, and we have steps and procedures to go through. We just have to find out the information before we take the next step," Seaver said.

"But I can tell you this - we're going to protect the kids."

"We are fully cooperating with investigators and doing what we must do to protect the welfare of the students here at R.A. Long High School," Principal Andrew Frost said. "As a staff we are deeply saddened by the allegations."

Emphasis added by H4K Editor