News 12 First at Five, October 22, 2008

AIKEN CTY, S.C.---A 67-year-old former North Augusta High School assistant principal has been arrested and charged with various sex crimes dating back to the 1970s.

Stephen Eubanks is charged with a lewd act on a child under the age of 16, exposing private parts, two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and one count of enticing children from school.

Investigators say the alleged victims were students who attended North Augusta High School and Paul Knox Junior High School in Aiken County during the 70s. Eubanks was an administrator at both schools.

One of the victims named in the case was a 14-year-old minor. News 12 talked with Greg Lass who says he is that 14-year-old victim. He says, today is his redemption and that redemption comes on a day his former Principal stands before a judge for the first time.

Eubanks remained quiet, walking out of jail with a coat over his head, free on a $25,000 bond. But, Lass says more than 30 years ago, Eubanks, his junior high principal, took advantage of him.

"Hell is the only way I can say to describe it, hell," says Greg. "I've been in hell and I'm back now." He says he was in the 9th grade when this happened.

"He's our principal. I mean, your a kid. If you can't trust your principal, who can you trust?" asks Greg. "(He) gives you alcoholic beverages, cuss, do whatever you want to and you think, well damn this is cool."

But one night, at a school dance, what seemed cool, wasn't. "He just walked up on me and talked to me and asked me to go somewhere and I said yeah," says Greg. "The next thing I know, we're at his home in his bedroom." Then, what happened next, is just too graphic to tell.

"Once I confronted him with what he was doing I said man, what are you doing," asked Greg. "This ain't right. He says, well, that ain't what I heard."

Now, more than 3 decades later, Eubanks stood before a judge, looking dejected. Now, Greg's nightmare is over and it just may be beginning for Eubanks. "It feels like redemption. Redemption is mine... redemption. Every day. Day to day," says Greg.

Terms of Eubanks' bond are that he can not have any contact with a male or female under 16 without a competent adult around. Also, he is not allowed to have any contact with any of the alleged victims. His first appearance in court is scheduled for December 5th.