COULEE DAM, Wash. — Kittitas County deputies arrested a 4th grade teacher Monday on charges related to inappropriate communication with a minor, the sheriff’s office said.
Ross Ashenfelter, 42, of Coulee Dam, was arrested at 11:55 a.m. at Lake Roosevelt Elementary School on probable cause for Communication with a Minor for Immoral Purposes, according to authorities. Ashenfelter was doing administrative work at the school during a school holiday when deputies took him into custody.
The arrest resulted from ongoing investigations by detectives working with the Washington Internet Crimes Against Children taskforce, which has led to numerous arrests and convictions throughout the state, officials said.
Deputies transported Ashenfelter to Ellensburg, where he was booked into the Kittitas County Jail, the sheriff’s office said. Authorities have notified the Grand Coulee Dam School District about the arrest.
“Protecting children has long been a top priority for law enforcement in our community, and we will continue to use our abilities and resources to pursue anyone who would harm kids, wherever and whoever they are,” Sheriff Clay Myers said.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information relevant to this investigation to contact Kittcom at 509-925-8534 and reference case number S25-14609.
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