The King County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Kentlake High School teacher for investigation of communication with a minor for immoral purposes and sexual misconduct with a minor.
Detectives arrested the 44-year-old man Dec. 16 at his Kent home. He was booked into the King County jail and released the next day on $50,000 bail.
“King County prosecutors argued that he should be held on $100,000 bail because of the danger to the community,” said Casey McNerthney, a King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson in a Dec. 19 email. “The first appearance judge set bail at $50,000.”
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Kentlake High staff member accused of inappropriate behaviorDec 9, 2022
McNerthney said on Monday the documents required by law for a charging decision have not yet been sent to prosecutors by the Sheriff’s Office. According to court documents, the Sheriff’s Office expects to file those papers this week.
“If or when they do send those, King County prosecutors plan to act on those with urgency,” McNerthney said.
The teacher is not being named by the Kent Reporter because (as of Dec. 19) he has not yet been formally charged. Kent School District officials removed the teacher’s name from the online Kentlake staff directory.
The Kent Reporter first reported the incident Dec. 9 after the Kentlake principal sent an email to parents about a staff member placed on administrative leave after allegations of inappropriate behavior.
According to court documents, the teacher allegedly kissed a 15-year-old female student on the neck, and inappropriately touched her on the chest, face and thigh while in his classroom during after school hours.
He also reportedly communicated with the student through Instagram, according to court documents. He told her she looked “hot” when she dressed a certain way and started to call her pet names such as “babe” and “cupcake,” and told her he loved her.
The teacher reportedly gave the teen gifts and showed her $700 in cash that he wanted to spend on her at a makeup store. The girl declined to go to the store.
The Instagram direct messages reportedly started on Nov. 18, according to court documents.
The student told someone about the alleged incidents and that person contacted law enforcement.
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