Broughton teacher could face maximum of life in prison if convicted on sex charges
A Broughton Magnet High School teacher charged with multiple sexual assaults could face life in prison if convicted on fewer than half of them.
A District Court Judge ordered Steven Robert Kohls, 57, held in the Wake County jail without bond Monday following his first court appearance.
Monday’s hearing concerned only six counts of statutory sex offense of a child, which involve a single victim. Those charges bring a minimum 25-year sentence and a maximum of life.
Kohls asked for a public defender and objected to not being released on bond before trial.
“I don’t know that it’s fair I can’t get bonded out,” Kohls said via a video feed. “As far as I know there are only two accusations against me.”
He added, “I think the one accusation was over 20 years ago.”
Did teacher know victims from Broughton High?
Both prosecutors and Broughton’s principal have stressed that victims in this case were not Kohls students and did not take place on campus.
“That wasn’t how I knew the juveniles,” Kohls said on video feed. Court officials cut him off and told him not to discuss facts of the case.
Judge Christine Walczyk said the charges discussed Monday happened between 2005 and 2014.
In all, Kohls was charged with eight counts of sexual activity by a custodian, three counts of sex offense in a parental role and two counts of statutory sex offense of a child by an adult.
In a statement to parents last week, Broughton’s principal, a CTE teacher, said Kohls had been suspended with pay.
This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 11:11 AM.