A Bellevue art teacher arrested earlier this year for the alleged rape of a former student will not be facing charges due to a lack of sufficient evidence provided by investigators, says the King County Prosecutor’s Office.

Bellevue Police arrested Regan Brewer during a traffic stop in late January, after a former Cherry Crest Elementary student alleged she was raped by the arts teacher multiple times inside the classroom from 2003-07. He was released from the King County Jail the next day, the prosecutor’s office requesting more evidence be provided by the BPD before making a charging decision.

Brewer denied the allegations when questioned by police prior to his arrest, saying students do come into his art class before and after school for various reasons, but he never touched any student inappropriately, according to a probable cause affidavit. The affidavit states Brewer was also investigated in 1999 for suspicion of possessing child pornography, but no charges were ever filed.

Brewer was placed on administrative leave until the investigation was completed, and no decision has been made yet by the Bellevue School District as to whether the art teacher will be allowed to return to teaching at both Cherry Crest and Clyde Hill Elementary.

“We are conducting our own investigation, and that is essentially where we are in the process,” said Elizabeth Sytman, district communications director.

Susan Jacob-Brewer said she didn’t know her husband was no longer under investigation or facing charges until the Reporter published the decision by the prosecutor’s office online Monday.

“Nobody told us — nobody,” she said. “That’s just wrong, because we’ve been waiting.”

Jacob-Brewer described the past seven months as “an absolute nightmare,” recalling the media that awaited her husband once he was released from jail. On top of losing his professional credibility in the wake of the allegations, Jacob-Brewer said there was also intense backlash against her husband on media comment feeds online.

“People were ready to kill him,” she said.

Jacob-Brewer said her husband planned on teaching for the next 15 years until retirement, but she’s not sure Brewer will be able to return to work, even if the school district allows it.

“It’s a huge relief,” she said of the prosecutor’s decision, “but I know the school’s still investigating, and I wonder what that’s about. What does that mean?”