UTAH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) – A teacher with the Alpine School District has been arrested for allegedly sending sexually explicit texts and photos to an underage boy.
Orem Police say the suspect is Andrew Walsh, 32. Walsh has been arrested on two charges including sexual exploitation of a minor and enticing a minor by internet or text.
Authorities say the victim is a 16-year-old boy.
Officials confirm Walsh is a teacher at Orem Junior High and has been employed with the school district since 2016. He has now been placed on administrative leave, according to officials.
The sexually explicit messages were discovered after the boy’s father reported the messages to authorities.
Police say the teen had been exchanging nude photos and explicit texts with several males he met through social media apps.
Officers discovered one of the males was Walsh, who allegedly exchanged texts with the teen despite being aware that he was underage.
A forensic download of Walsh’s phone uncovered a message exchange with the teen telling Walsh his age while Walsh allegedly responded, “that makes me want you even more.”
The messages also show Walsh trying to arrange an in-person meeting with the teen.
A nude image of a male that matches the teen’s physical description was also found on Walsh’s phone.
The case is now being investigated and handled by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force which works in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office.
The Alpine School District provided ABC4 with a statement on the matter, saying:
“We became aware of an accusation regarding an individual who has been employed in Alpine School District since 2016. We have taken immediate action by placing the employee on administrative leave pending an investigation, and we are working closely with law enforcement.”
Walsh is currently booked at the Utah County Jail.
