A Twin Lakes Elementary music teacher arrested on suspicion of molesting an 11-year-old student had been suspected of sexual misconduct at his previous school district in Nevada, Federal Way school officials said Thursday.
The Federal Way School District said it received an anonymous phone call in 2001 alleging that the teacher, Scott Riley, committed sexual misconduct with students while an assistant principal at Pahrump Valley High School near Las Vegas from 1993-98.
In a two-page letter sent home with Twin Lakes students in a sealed envelope Thursday, the district said it investigated the informant’s claims but could find no evidence supporting the allegations.
Read the complete letter sent to parents
The superintendent of the Nye County School District in Nevada told the Federal Way district there was no evidence linking Riley to the allegations, and that no disciplinary action was taken, the letter said.
Media reports at the time linked other Pahrump school employees to sexual misconduct, but not Riley, said Federal Way district spokeswoman Diane Turner.
Because there was no evidence and Riley had no criminal history, the Federal Way district closed its investigation in November 2001, the letter states.
Bail was set Thursday at $50,000 for Riley, 52, who made his first court appearance at the Regional Justice Center in Kent, where he remained Wednesday. Charges must be filed by today.
Riley, a Puyallup resident, is on paid administrative leave. The News Tribune does not normally identify people accused of crimes until they’re charged. The paper is naming Riley because his name was released by the district in a letter sent home to parents Wednesday and Thursday.
Federal Way police arrested him and led him away in handcuffs before school started Wednesday on suspicion of first-degree child molestation.
The female student told Federal Way police Tuesday night that the molestation occurred April 16 at Twin Lakes during school hours.
The student said she was in the teacher’s music room and asked him for help with a song she was having difficulty performing, said Federal Way police spokeswoman Stacy Flores.
He went to the student, put his hands on her back, and slid them under her buttocks above her clothing, the student told police, Flores said. He kept his hands there while she performed the entire song, the student said, according to Flores.
The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction said it has no complaints on file against Riley. The Federal Way district says it has no other accusations against the teacher.
Riley began working for Federal Way Public Schools in July 1998 as assistant principal at Decatur High School, according to the letter’s summary, written by Chuck Christensen, executive director of human resources.
The district said it learned “well into” the 1998-99 school year that Riley had disclosed he dated and subsequently married a former Pahrump student.
At Decatur, he had “general performance concerns and issues” in his interactions with adults, the letter said.
Riley was assigned to other administrative duties in spring 2000 because of an angry outburst with a student. He was reassigned to teach music at elementary schools starting in fall 2000. He’s taught primarily at Twin Lakes since 2002, said district spokeswoman Turner.
Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647
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