Two United Tribes Technical College officials have been charged with misdemeanors.

Francis Sammy Azure, the dean of childhood education at UTTC, was charged Friday with false information or report to law enforcement officers, a Class A misdemeanor.

Terrance Francis Moericke, a fourth-grade teacher at Theodore Jamerson Elementary School on the UTTC campus, was charged Friday with disorderly conduct, a Class B misdemeanor.

Azure and Moericke will receive summonses to make their first court appearances. They have not been arrested.

According to a complaint signed by Burleigh County Sheriff's Deputy Mike Stoltz, Moericke was charged for engaging in "inappropriate physical contact with several of his students" between Sept. 1, 2005, and Dec. 10, 2006.

Burleigh County Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Hall said Moericke has been accused of having "contact above the clothing on the backside" of several students. Hall said the "casual contact" occurred when Moericke boosted children onto playground equipment, and the students found the contact offensive.

According to a complaint signed by Stoltz, Azure was charged for giving "false information to a deputy with the Burleigh County Sheriff's Department in an investigation regarding Terrance Moericke" between Dec. 1, 2006, and April 16, 2007.

Hall and Stoltz said Azure was charged for denying knowing the alleged inappropriate contact by Moericke was going on despite prior documentation of the activity.

Dennis Neumann, UTTC public information director, said the school was unaware of the charges. UTTCPresident David Gipp was out of town and unavailable for comment, Neumann said.

Stoltz said the original report of the alleged inappropriate contact was made on Nov. 28, 2006, and the sheriff's department wrapped up its investigation within about a week.

Burleigh County Assistant State's Attorney Julie Lawyer said she had to review numerous lengthy interviews, police reports and information from the school before filing formal charges.

"For misdemeanor charges, it's probably the biggest file we have," she said.

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com.)