BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – A Botetourt County public school employee is out of jail after being arrested and charged with requesting inappropriate pictures from a student, deputies said.
Deputies said that Paul Wakeman was a teacher at James River High School.
Faith McGrath is disturbed and scared to hear that an employee at her alma mater is accused of asking students for inappropriate photos.
"I have cousins and nieces that are in those schools right now," she said. "I always thought we were in a safe county until that."
According to court documents, a James River High School student told police that Wakeman, a teacher at the school, specifically asked for images of that student shirtless and wearing only underwear.
That's when investigators say they found out the 29-year-old teacher had made similar requests to numerous students over the past two years through text messages, phone calls and social media.
Deputies submitted warrants to search Wakeman's house, Snapchat and other social media accounts, but his Instagram and Facebook accounts had been deleted.
"I think it's completely inappropriate and wrong," said Thomas McGrath.
Wakeman was arrested earlier this month. He's facing three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The McGraths have two daughters. One is 6 and the other is just 2.
While the girls have a few more years before they get to high school, the McGraths said something like this, is always in the back of their minds.
"I'm now afraid to send my kids to school because that's not the first time. I have two young daughters and I'm just petrified that's going to happen to them one day," said Faith. "I believe he should get fired and jail time because he was there to keep children safe and he was not keeping them safe."
WSLS 10 tried to contact the school district and Wakeman. Neither returned our phone calls and emails.
Wakeman was released on bail and is set to appear in court on Tuesday.