Former Washington high school teacher arrested again for sexual misconduct with student

A former Washington high school teacher has been arrested for a second time for sexual misconduct allegations against a student.

According to police, as part of an ongoing investigation involving a former Monroe High School teacher accused of rape and sexual misconduct with a minor, officers arrested the teacher for a second time.

Monroe police said in a statement that Thursday’s arrest follows a victim’s statements that were substantiated through investigative methods.

The female victim alleged that in late 2018, the suspect initiated interaction with her while she was a student during school hours, and a sexual relationship continued through her senior year. Physical contact ended after graduation when the victim moved out of state. The department doesn’t name the victim for privacy protection or the suspect due to charges on this newest offense not being formally filed yet.

In 2024, Monroe Police investigated reports from female students at the high school who said the suspect approached them at school and initiated sexual relationships. The suspect was arrested in June 2024 for the first time and was charged with two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor.

According to the victim in the recent arrest, sexual encounters initiated by the suspect occurred at school and off campus. The suspect regularly corresponded with the victim in writing, even after she moved, and the contents of the letters were often sexual in nature.

The suspect was arrested without incident and booked into King County Jail.

Police Chief Jeff Jolley said, “This is a very disturbing case involving a pattern of a person in a position of trust who betrayed young women. Thanks does not seem sufficient to say to these victims whose bravery helped us make yesterday’s arrest.”

These latest charges come amid an epidemic of recent reports involving alleged sexual misconduct by school employees across Washington. Earlier this month, a middle school wrestling coach in Auburn, WA, was charged with multiple felonies after allegedly exchanging sexually explicit messages and materials with a 14-year-old student.

The increasing number of reports has fueled criticism from parents and advocacy groups who say the state is not doing enough to protect students from sexual predators in school districts. Critics also voiced concerns earlier this year when Democrats voted to remove parts of Initiative 2081, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, which had sought to expand parental access to educational records and ensure more robust notification about issues affecting students' physical and mental health.