A Decatur High School security guard facing allegations of sexual misconduct with a student was arrested on March 8.
At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the Decatur High School security officer came to the Federal Way Police Station with his attorney to turn himself in, according to police. He was arrested, transported, and booked into the King County Jail for first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor.
The Mirror does not name suspects until they are charged in court.
In late January, allegations of misconduct involving the male security guard were reported to Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) staff. The district contacted both the police and Child Protective Services, according to the district. The security officer was immediately placed on leave.
Information about the alleged misconduct came to light after a former student found out about a second victim, the former student previously told the Mirror. In a phone call on Feb. 8, the former student said she was also involved with the security officer when she attended Decatur High School. The Mirror confirmed the former student’s identity with the Federal Way Police Department, and granted the person anonymity because of the nature of the incident.
During her sophomore year in 2019, the former student — who was 15 at the time — said the security officer helped her with school work and they talked about her home or school life, but later he allegedly began making comments about her body and legs, and was saying he wanted to have kids with her. She also claimed the employee gave her alcohol and cannabis edibles while she attended the high school.
About two years later, she said she went to Decatur to sell the security officer a pair of shoes. The former student, then 18, said the security officer closed both doors to his office and allegedly began grabbing her arm and kissing her.
On March 8, the former student learned about the security guard’s arrest and said: “I felt a little bit more at ease because I thought this was kind of going to get swept under the rug. … He’s getting what he deserves.”
On Wednesday, the school district was notified that police concluded their investigation and the security guard was placed under arrest, said Whitney Chiang, chief of communications and strategy for FWPS.
Chiang said the security guard remains on leave and that the district will move forward with next steps regarding his employment as the legal process related to the criminal charges progresses.
In a letter sent to families of Decatur High School students on Wednesday, the district said: “We do not tolerate the alleged behavior in any of our staff, and this individual has not been on campus since the allegations were reported. We have fully cooperated with the police throughout their investigation.”
All FWPS staff must complete and pass a Federal Bureau of Investigation and Washington State Patrol fingerprint and background check prior to employment, Chiang previously told the Mirror. Staff are also trained on appropriate behavior, boundaries and professional conduct policies.
The Federal Way Police Criminal Investigations Section continues to investigate.
RESOURCES
If your child has indicated that they have had inappropriate interactions with this staff member or if they witnessed such behavior, contact Federal Way Police Detective Richard Adams at 253-835-6795 or Richard.adams@cityoffederalway.com.
Those who have concerns or general questions about this topic may contact local experts at the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center at 888-998-6423. Additional resources are also available at Harborview Center for Sexual Assault and Traumatic Stress at 206-744-1600 or http://depts.washington.edu/hcsats/resources.html.
For have any FWPS questions or concerns, contact Interim Chief Human Resources Officer Diane Ellis at 253-945-2049.
