SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (KOIN) -– Criminal charges have been filed against a former Thurston High School teacher who kissed, sent topless photos to a student and asked him to send photos of his genitals, according to court documents.
Stephanie Rodakowski is scheduled to appear in Lane County Circuit Court Friday morning.
She is charged with endangering the welfare of a minor and tampering with physical evidence. Both crimes are Class A misdemeanors, according to prosecutors.
According to an affidavit filed this week, Springfield police detectives said they had probable cause to arrest Rodakowski for numerous offenses: Attempted use of child in a display of sexually explicit conduct, endangering the welfare of a minor, luring a minor, online sexual corruption of a child, witness tampering and tampering with physical evidence.
Springfield Police Sgt. David Lewis said he could not comment on the Lane Co. DA’s Office charging decision. Calls to the DA’s Office have not been returned.
Rodakowski, an English teacher, allegedly contacted the district to let them know a 15-year-old student took her cell phone without permission and went through her photo gallery. She claimed the boy found a nude photo of her and shared it with other male students.
An investigation revealed the boy “had received numerous nude [mostly topless] photos from Rodakowski,” according to court documents. The photos were sent using the social media app Snapchat.
Detectives learned Rodakowski and the boy exchanged text messages in which they discussed engaging in sexual activity with each other, according to court documents. The boy claimed Rodakowski invited him to engage in sex acts in her house, police said.
Rodakowski refuted the claims, but did admit that she and the boy had kissed on one occasion in her classroom, according to records.
The boy told detectives that Rodakowski had mentioned how she had sent him multiple nude photos, but she hadn’t received any from him. The boy said Rodakowski requested a photo of his penis, according to court documents. Eventually, during a police interview, Rodakowski “said she may have done so, but claimed she didn’t recall,” according to court documents.
Investigators learned that the boy was contacted by Rodakowski on July 5 and she instructed him to delete all of the messages, photos and videos she had sent him, according to records. The boy did delete the photos and video but he took several screenshots to show a part of their text message, records show.
In one of the text messages exchanged, Rodakowski mentioned she sent the boy a naked photo, records revealed. She also reportedly acknowledged the facts that she is 31-years-old, married and was the boy’s teacher.
Eventually, Rodakowski admitted sending “a few” nude photos of herself to the boy, police said. She also admitted sending him text messages and talking about what they would do to or with each other in an intimate and sexual setting, according to police.
“She also admitted to coming up with the story that (the boy) had taken her phone without permission,” records revealed. Rodakowski reportedly admitted coaching the boy on what to say if contacted by police.
Deb Jolda, a spokesperson for Springfield Public Schools told KOIN 6 News Rodakowski was hired August 2012 and she resigned July 16, 2015.
Jolda provided the following statement:“The district was notified of a potential incident involving one of our teachers. We have a clear and specific process for reporting any issue that may compromise the safety of our students. We followed that procedure, and the incident is now in the hands of law enforcement. That teacher is longer employed by Springfield Public Schools. We aren’t able to comment further and direct any additional questions to the Lane County District Attorney’s Office.”
Sgt. Lewis said Rodakowski is expected to turn herself at Friday’s 8:30 a.m. arraignment.
Attempts to reach Rodakowski and her attorney have been unsuccessful.