Court paperwork expose how a Pasco teacher allegedly pressured a scholar into using off her apparel throughout what was supposed to be a senior photo session.
Jeffrey Whiston, 43, of Benton Town, was booked into the Benton County jail on Tuesday night time on investigation of sexual exploitation of a 16-yr-previous girl.
He appeared briefly Wednesday in Benton County District Court docket, and bail was set at $150,000.
The Chiawana High College teacher has worked for the college district considering the fact that August 2019. The whole-time business photography teacher was promptly placed on compensated go away, mentioned Pasco universities Public Affairs Director Anna Tensmeyer.
General public data displays he was paid about $69,300 through the 2020-21 college calendar year.
Whiston, who also is a pastor at a Burbank church, seems to help run a Fb web site that photos Chiawana athletics functions. Photos from Chiawana Sports relationship back to slide 2017 bear his title on the watermark.
Tensmeyer claimed his Facebook webpage on Chiawana athletics occasions is not affiliated with the district.
Investigation
The investigation into the image session began right after the faculty district obtained a report from a involved mum or dad about the incident.
“Mr. Whiston was placed on administrative leave Tuesday morning in accordance with conventional district procedure and the report was made to legislation enforcement,” Tensmeyer said an email.
“If true, these allegations represent a breach of our belief and a disappointing departure from our standards for all district workers. The protection of our learners is the best precedence of our university and district personnel associates,” she wrote.
Court documents display, Benton County detectives were being questioned to examine a report of a Chiawana teacher getting taken nude pictures of a 16-year-outdated scholar at his Benton City property.
Investigators explained the victim told her buddies that she went to do a photoshoot with the trainer and was questioned to get undressed, and he took photographs of her in provocative positions with out her apparel.
The victim’s identification has been withheld mainly because she is a juvenile.
The sufferer informed investigators that two months prior to spring break, trainer Jeffrey Whiston reminded the course of an present he experienced built to have a totally free non-public “senior style” photoshoot with him at his residence.
The victim experienced viewed other images Whiston experienced taken of pupils and took him up on the supply. She claimed Whiston advised her to carry many outfits this kind of as attire and swimsuits.
Benton City home
On April 6, she arrived at Whiston’s residence, the place he launched her to his spouse and daughter before heading inside to get his camera machines and having her to an unattached store creating on his property.
In accordance to his Fb web page, he has 4 youngsters and is a pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Burbank.
Nonprofit filings for the church list a Jeff Whiston as a governing officer. No one particular could be reached this 7 days at the telephone amount mentioned for the church.
For the duration of the photoshoot the sufferer was alone with Whiston.
She informed investigators it started out off schedule, but Whiston began little by little producing requests for her to pose extra provocatively, or pull her costume or swimsuits in revealing strategies.
While taking swimsuit photos, the victim said Whiston requested her to go totally nude and she felt she had no decision for the reason that the door was blocked and she felt trapped. The victim tried to address her chest and cross her legs.
While photographing her extra, he requested if she would go “full nude.” The target reported she would not, and claimed Whiston then questioned if she would do a whole nude photoshoot immediately after she turns 18. The target explained she told him she would “to oblige him,” reported court paperwork.
That statement led investigators to imagine that Whiston understood she was a small, claimed the documents.
As she was leaving, the victim explained Whiston recommended she arrive again once more in the summer for additional pics.
Investigators questioned Whiston after serving a look for warrant at his household, and he reportedly admitted to asking to choose nude pictures of the teen. He then asked if he could discuss to a law firm ahead of continuing.
Investigators agreed and started to halt the interview, but explained Whiston ongoing to converse about the photos not becoming “fully nude” and was reminded that the interview was currently being stopped to honor his constitutional rights.
Cory is an award-winning investigative reporter. He joined the Tri-Metropolis Herald in Dec. 2021 as an Editor/Reporter covering housing and development. His earlier do the job can be discovered in the Tyler Morning Telegraph and other Texas newspapers. He was a 2019-20 Schooling Writers Affiliation Fellow, and has been showcased on The Murder Tapes, Grave Mysteries and Criminal offense Observe Everyday with Chris Hansen.