A suspended instructor in Seneca Valley's Junior ROTC program was held for court today on dozens of charges related to the sexual abuse of two teenaged boys.

Kevin B. Johnson, 50, of Portersville, faces 46 felony and misdemeanor criminal counts. He waived his formal arraignment and will be scheduled for trial.

Mr. Johnson, a retired Army sergeant major who joined Seneca Valley in August 2003 after clearing a criminal background check, attended today's hearing with his wife.

An 18-year-old senior testified that he had a two-year sexual relationship with Sgt. Johnson. Most of the liaisons occurred on school property, in Mr. Johnson's office at the Butler County school's secondary campus in Jackson.

A 17-year-old junior testified Mr. Johnson had either attempted or had fondled him on five occasions and that Mr. Johnson had threatened to "take out" his family if he told anyone. He said he decided to tell his mother in January.

Mr. Johnson has been suspended without pay from Seneca Valley since Jan. 10, when the mother notified police. The Post-Gazette does not indentify alleged victims in sexual assault investigations.

A dozen other criminal charges were dismissed today by District Judge Wayne Seibel of Evans City either because they were redundant or because they were alleged by authorities to have occurred earlier than when testimony indicated.

Jackson Police Chief Len Keller said authorities retrieved evidence from Mr. Johnson's Seneca Valley office. He said dozens of current and former students were interviewed but no one else claimed to have been a victim.

About 50 students are enrolled in Junior ROTC, which is a high school version of the college-level Reserve Officer Training Corps.