PORT ANGELES — Stevens Middle School eighth-grade teacher Paul A. Brinkmann, 46, was ordered released Monday afternoon under electronic home monitoring after being arrested Friday for investigation of child rape and incest.

Brinkmann appeared in Clallam County Superior Court, but he has yet to be charged.

As Brinkmann left the courtroom, he turned and — to loud applause from the packed room — said “thanks for coming.”

Judge George L. Wood ordered that Brinkmann, who is on paid administrative leave from his teaching job, be released on electronic home monitoring without having to pay bail to await the possible filing of formal charges at a hearing at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

“I don’t find, in this case, at this point, that Mr. Brinkmann poses any danger to the community,” Wood said.

“I don’t think there is any indication at all that he is out there as a sexual predator preying on children in the community.”

Wood ordered Brinkmann to surrender his passport, abide by nightly curfew and not have contact with anyone younger than 18 years, including the alleged victim, a 16-year-old boy who was 11 when the alleged crimes began.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ann Lundwall had sought $500,000 bail for Brinkmann’s release and said “multiple incidences” of sexual abuse had occurred.

She told Wood she may file charges of first-degree rape of a child and first-degree child molestation, both of which have maximum sentences of life in prison, and had already filed a certificate of probable cause with the court.

Port Angeles lawyer Karen Unger argued that $500,000 bail for her client was “outrageous.”

“Murderers have lower bail than that,” Unger said.

“He is not going anywhere,” she said. “He’s going to stay here and fight this.”

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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.