Nathan Erfurth, right, responds to questions from his attorney Eric Derleth during a hearing at the Kenai Courthouse in Kenai, Alaska, on April 12, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Nathan Erfurth, right, responds to questions from his attorney Eric Derleth during a hearing at the Kenai Courthouse in Kenai, Alaska, on April 12, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Sexual abuse case against former Soldotna teacher set to go to trial

Nathan Erfurth arrested in May 2023.

A former Soldotna High School teacher and union head accused of sexual abuse of a student will go to trial next month, with the proceedings scheduled for June 16.

Nathan Erfurth, 36, is a former SoHi history teacher and also former president of the Kenai Peninsula Education Association. He was arrested in May 2023 after a former student alleged that he had sexually abused her in 2017 and 2018 when she was a minor. He was indicted on 61 charges for those alleged crimes by a Kenai grand jury in June 2023, and has pleaded not guilty to each.

In July, a Kenai Superior Court judge dismissed six charges of possession of child pornography against Erfurth, but denied a motion to dismiss 42 counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, seven counts of fourth-degree sexual abuse of a minor and six counts of unlawful exploitation of a minor.

Erfurth has denied the allegations. Since his arrest in May 2023, Erfurth’s trial has been delayed 14 times at the request of his attorney, Eric Derleth.

At a hearing on Monday, May 12, Derleth asked for a summer trial expected to take two weeks.

A trial call is scheduled at the Kenai Courthouse for June 11 at 2:30 p.m., before the scheduled trial on June 16.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

Previous
Gearing up for summer fishing
Next
Kenai land sales proposal delayed amid council concerns

More in News

David Ross is sworn in as Kenai Police Chief on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at Kenai City Hall. The Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police named Ross the 2025 Police Chief of the Year, recognizing over two decades of service. Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion
Kenai police chief named 2025 Police Chief of the Year

The Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police recognized David Ross for his more than two decades of leadership.

The cast of Nikiski Middle School’s upcoming performance of “Alice in Wonderland” is pictured on Dec. 2, 2025. The upperclassmen-directed play opens on Friday, with additional showtimes Saturday and next weekend. Photo courtesy of Carla Jenness
Nikiski Middle School debuts student-led “Alice in Wonderland”

The show opens on Friday, with additional showtimes this weekend and next.

On Tuesday, the Kenaitze Indian Tribe unveiled Kahtnu Area Transit, a public transportation service open to the entire Peninsula Borough community. Photo courtesy of Kahtnu Area Transit
Kenaitze Indian Tribe unveils Kahtnu Area Transit

The fixed bus route offers 13 stops between Nikiski and Sterling.

The Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center hosts the annual Christmas Comes to Kenai on Nov. 28<ins>, 2025</ins>. The beloved event began over 40 years ago, and this year over 1,000 attendees enjoyed hot chocolate, fireworks, pictures with Santa and shopping. Photo courtesy of the Kenai Chamber of Commerce Photo courtesy of the Kenai Chamber of Commerce The Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center hosted the annual Christmas Comes to Kenai on Nov. 28. The beloved event began over 40 years ago, and this year over 1,000 attendees enjoyed hot chocolate, fireworks, pictures with Santa and shopping.
Kicking off a month of holiday festivities

Last weekend’s holiday events, including the annual Christmas Comes to Kenai and the Soldotna Turkey Trot, drew folks from all over the Kenai Peninsula.

Starting Dec. 2, Aleutian Airways will offer roundtrip flights between Anchorage and Unalakleet every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
Aleutian Airways to offer roundtrip flights between Anchorage and Unalakleet

Starting Dec. 2, Aleutian Airways will offer three roundtrip flights per week.

The Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” act requires the Bureau of Ocean Energy management to hold at least six offshore oil and gas lease sales in Alaska between 2026-2028 and 2030-2032. The first of these sales — known as “Big Beautiful Cook Inlet 1,” or BBC1— is scheduled for March 2026. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Cook Inletkeeper launches petition against federal government

The organization is calling for transparency in Cook Inlet offshore oil and gas sales.

Winter dining has always carried more weight than the menu might suggest. In the off-season, eating out isn’t just about comfort food or convenience; it’s a way of supporting local businesses as they hold steady through the slower months. Photo credit: Canva.
The ripple effect: How local spending builds stronger communities on the Kenai Peninsula

From cozy cafés to fine-dining bistros, purchases made close to home sustain local jobs and services

Courtesy Harvest On the Kenai Peninsula, a dormant liquefied natural gas export plant could be repurposed to receive cargoes of imported LNG under a plan being studied by Harvest, an affiliate of oil and gas company Hilcorp. The fuel would be transferred from ships to the tanks on the left, still in liquid form, before being converted back into gas and sent into a pipeline.
Utilities say Alaska needs an LNG import terminal. Consumers could end up paying for two.

Planning for two separate projects is currently moving ahead.

A map shows the locations of the 21 Alaska federal offshore oil and gas lease sales proposed by the Trump administration. (Map provided by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management)
Trump administration proposes offshore leasing in almost all Alaska waters

A new five-year offshore oil and gas leasing plan proposes 21 sales in Alaska, from the Gulf of Alaska to the High Arctic, and 13 more off the U.S. West Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.

Most Read