A former Kentwood High School teacher pleaded guilty to communicating with a minor for immoral purposes after he had sexual relations with a student from 2017 to 2019.
Steve Bilvais, 56, signed a guilty plea agreement May 7, according to King County Superior Court documents. Prosecutors originally charged Bilvais with first-degree sexual misconduct.
“On or about a period between Oct. 1, 2017 and June 10, 2019, with intent to reach a minor, did communicate with (a then-17-year-old female student), a child under the age of 18 years, for an immoral purpose of a sexual nature,” Bilvais wrote in his guilty plea.
Bilvais is scheduled to be sentenced at 1 p.m. Friday, June 27 in Courtroom 4F at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, according to court documents. Prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 364 days in jail, but with that execution suspended as long as he fulfills two years of probation. The first 12 months of probation would be under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Corrections or King County Probation Department.
Under the recommendation, Bilvais can have no contact with minors except with supervision. He is allowed to have unsupervised contact with his biological child.
Bilvais must obtain a sexual deviancy evaluation within 30 days of sentencing, comply with treatment recommendations and successfully complete treatment, according to court documents. He is not allowed to hold any position of authority or trust involving minors. He will be required to register as a sex offender and provide his address with the sheriff of the county where he resides.
Bilvais agreed to pay restitution, with the amount to be determined, and to include all medical expenses for the victim including counseling and therapy.
The case
Bilvais abused a supervisory position with a female student who was 17 years old at the start of a relationship that reportedly went from October 2017 to June 2019, according to charging documents.
“The defendant took advantage of his position as a teacher at Kentwood High School,” wrote Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Mylla Dawson in charging documents filed Aug. 9, 2024. “He abused that position by engaging in a sexual relationship with a minor who was also a student at Kentwood. He knew that engaging in a sexual relationship with (the girl) was against the law, as he told her he could lose his job or go to jail if anyone found out about his conduct.”
A King County Sheriff’s Office detective opened an investigation after a woman called in June 2024 to report a sexual relationship with a teacher of hers from several years prior, according to charging papers. The woman claimed they had sexual intercourse over a two-year period, sometimes at his Auburn residence and other times at her former Covington residence.
A detective asked the woman why she was coming forward in June 2024 about this. She said it took a long time to process the love she had for him, according to charging documents. She slowly started to realize the gravity of the situation. She started to go to therapy in February 2024 and was thinking of the “moral obligation” she had to report this since Bilvais “holds a position of power” and he “abused it.” She doesn’t want this to happen to other girls.
The woman said Bilvais was her algebra teacher her freshman year at Kentwood in 2015. She said everything was professional her first two years. Things began to change when she took a job as a babysitter for his daughter. She said they would flirt with each other at his house after babysitting.
She said the relationship went from kissing to intercourse in October 2017, according to charging documents. She said they talked about getting married and having kids.
About November 2019 their relationship ended. The woman said it was amicable and that he understood she needed to do her own things in life.
Bilvais reportedly purchased a lot of clothes for the girl as well as a necklace and ring. Detectives discovered a box of the woman’s items at her parents home that reportedly included the necklace and ring he bought her and copies of checks Bilvais wrote to her for babysitting.
The girl showed detectives photos of herself taken with Bilvais after she turned 18, according to charging papers. A few of the photos were of them kissing and posing together.
A detective tried to contact Bilvais to talk about the case by knocking on his door, calling him and leaving voicemails and a business card, but never reached him for questioning. A warrant was issued for his arrest. Bilvais pleaded not guilty to the original charge on Aug. 22, 2024, and was placed on administrative leave by the Kent School District.
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