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OGDEN — A teacher's aide was charged Wednesday with engaging in sexual misconduct with a 14-year-old student.
Zachary John Arrington, 20, of West Haven, was arrested and booked into the Weber County Jail Tuesday. He was charged Wednesday in 2nd District Court with sex abuse of a minor, a third-degree felony; two counts of dealing in harmful materials to a minor, a third-degree felony; sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony; obstruction of justice, a third-degree felony; and enticing, seducing or luring a minor by text or Internet, a class A misdemeanor.
Arrington was an aide at Quest Academy in West Haven, 4862 W. 4000 South, according to the Weber County Sheriff's Office. As part of his duties, he was a lunchroom monitor. His contact with the girl started as "casual conversation," according to investigators.
"During this time he befriended this 14-year-old female there. And apparently that relationship evolved that they started conversing, sending information over Snapchat. Some of that was sexually oriented in nature. That relationship continued outside of the school where they met numerous times at a park out there in West Haven. And during those times there was some inappropriate physical contact between them," said Weber County Sheriff's Sgt. Lane Findlay.
That relationship evolved that they started conversing, sending information over Snapchat. Some of that was sexually oriented in nature. That relationship continued outside of the school where they met numerous times at a park out there in West Haven. And during those times there was some inappropriate physical contact between them.
–Weber County Sheriff's Sgt. Lane Findlay
According to charging documents, the two engaged in a dare-like "game" where each would send pictures of themselves wearing one less item of clothing than the other person's previous Snapchat picture until they weren't wearing anything.
The two also engaged in sexting, according to the charges. At one point, Arrington tried to go to the girl's house for the purpose of having sex, "but had a hard time finding her house" and once he got there was advised that the girl's father was almost home, according to police.
Findlay said all of the alleged illegal activity happened outside of school grounds. The girl was not in any of the classes in which Arrington was a teacher's aide, and Arrington was not considered to have a position of trust over her as a lunchroom monitor, he said.
The illegal activity was discovered after other students started circulating a picture on social media of Arrington and the young girl kissing, according to the charges.
"There were some rumors that started spreading around the school, some of that through social media. And so that came to light in October with the school and we were contacted," Findlay said.
Arrington was fired from the school shortly after the incident was reported to the sheriff's office. He later admitted to investigators that he erased the pictures and other evidence that was on his phone, according to the charges.
We just always encourage if they're seeing something inappropriate or get information about someone, don't hesitate to come forward.
–Sgt. Findlay
Although Arrington was not considered to be in a position of trust over the girl, because she was 14, and because there was a six-year age difference between the two, and because nude images were exchanged over the phone, he was arrested, Findlay said.
The incident, he said, is a good reminder for juveniles and and parents to be leery of the dangers of social media, and for juveniles to speak up if they notice something potentially inappropriate.
"We just always encourage if they're seeing something inappropriate or get information about someone, don't hesitate to come forward," Findlay said.
The Weber and Ogden school districts began a program this year allowing students to send texts anonymously to report crimes. Students can text 274637, type the keyword “friends," then a space and the school they attend, before reporting an incident.
An initial appearance in court is scheduled for Dec. 16.
Email: preavy@deseretnews.com Twitter: DNewsCrimeTeam
