A former Bryan elementary school teacher once lauded for his work with children went missing this week -- days before he was set to go on trial for multiple counts of child molestation.

Stephen Bruce Unger Jr., 28, failed to show up in court Monday for a pre-trial hearing, prompting 361st District Judge Steve Smith to revoke his bail and issue a warrant for his arrest. When he had not been apprehended by noon Wednesday, the judge indefinitely postponed his trial, which had been set for Dec. 3.

Authorities at Lake Kiowa, which he now lists as his residence, said they spoke with his father there after Unger failed to appear on Monday.

"The father just told [the officer] he had headed to Colorado on a motorcycle to clear his head before his trial," Cooke County Sheriff's Office Investigator Greg Taylor explained Wednesday.

The officer was allowed by Unger's father to search the home, Taylor said, explaining that it appeared obvious the defendant had been staying there but was now gone.

Unger previously taught fifth grade at Neal Elementary school, where he earned national accolades for creating Los Coyotes -- a boys soccer team for at-risk youths. He resigned from the Bryan school district in April, after months on administrative leave.

He first fell from grace last November, when accusations surfaced that he had fondled two boys. One boy said the abuse began when he was 9 years old and lasted three years; the other said he was abused when he was 12 and 13 years old, an officer's affidavit states.

During Unger's initial arrest, he was charged with two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact -- a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. However, he was released within an hour after posting bail.

He was briefly arrested again in January -- that time charged with three additional counts of indecency and one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison. Again, he was released within an hour.

Unger has posted $140,000 bail for the combined charges.

Prosecutors declined to discuss Unger's disappearance Wednesday, explaining that it is policy of the District Attorney's Office not to comment on pending cases. Defense attorney Jim James also declined to comment other than to acknowledge his client did not show up in court.

Brazos County Crime Stoppers issued a $250 reward Wednesday for tips leading to Unger's arrest. Information can be anonymously submitted by calling 775-TIPS.

• Craig Kapitan's e-mail address is craig.kapitan@theeagle.com.

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