KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A substitute teacher at Belton Middle School was charged Wednesday on several counts of sexual misconduct after allegedly sending graphic videos of himself to a student and molesting a child under 12.
Forty-two-year-old Jason Carey was arrested after Principal Jennifer Paschall contacted law enforcement Monday, saying an eighth-grader had received inappropriate pictures from the substitute, according to court records.
Carey subbed from Sept. 12-16.
The first victim exchanged Snapchat accounts with the teacher, and the two chatted for several days.
Court documents note she said things only began to get "weird" Friday night when Carey began to make comments about her body. He described a dream he'd had about the victim where the two began to have intercourse. Carey also asked the victim if she would have sex with him.
Friday night, multiple students from Belton Middle School attended a sleepover. There, the girls were communicating with Carey via Snapchat, and officers obtained four separate videos of him masturbating. Carey sent messages to two victims.
During the investigation, police discovered Carey had allegedly sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl who was sleeping over at her friend's house, where Carey also resides.
On Aug. 9, the third victim went over to Carey's house and swam, according to a document filed in court. She said the defendant touched her "private parts" while she was in the pool. After swimming, Carey led the girl to his bedroom, where they watched pornography, per court documents.
The victim described the girl in one of the videos as "probably her age." Carey told the victim that it was him in the video.
The girl slept in Carey's bedroom that night.
Carey stated that he had been drinking throughout the day Saturday and had several conversations with people on Snapchat, but he didn't know at the time whom he was speaking with. He said graphic photos and videos were exchanged with multiple women, and the ones he used had been stored on his phone from previous conversations.
He also said he was familiar with the third victim but denied ever touching her inappropriately. In the document, Carey concurred that the victim slept in his bedroom and swam in his pool, but he said he never showed her porn.
In response to the incident, Belton School District Superintendent Dr. Andrew Underwood addressed that the person alleged to have conducted inappropriately with students was working as a substitute through the district's third-party vendor and had previously worked in the district's SAC program, for afterschool care.
"We have already reached out to the families of the students whom this person may have worked with," Underwood said in the letter. "... Please know that the individual is no longer on school property and will have no further access to students or staff."
Further, the district says it as well as the state requires anyone who works in a school district to complete a background check as well as the Family Cares Safety Registry.
The district is cooperating with the police as well as the Missouri Children's Division.
Belton police say there was an additional investigation into Carey before Thursday's charges.
That investigation happened in August, but no charges have been filed yet.
KSHB 41 asked DESE and the school district how he was allowed to be back around students again.
The Belton Police Department said that the school district knew about the August incident prior to the investigation.
The Belton School District remained tight-lipped, saying if someone creates a report against an employee, they are immediately put on leave, and can't return until Children's Services clears them.
The school district could not tell us when or if he was put on leave.
DESE responded to KSHB 41's requests saying if an educator is arrested, they will track the case and if found guilty they can suspend or revoke the teacher's license.
Carey is currently charged with one count of enticement of a child, two counts of furnishing pornographic material to a minor and one count of molesting a child under 12. He is being held without bail.
The Belton Police Department said the investigation is ongoing, and they are looking into possibly identifying other victims.
“This case in particular has revolved largely around electronic evidence," said Lt. Dan Davis, with the Belton Police Department. "We’re still going through a lot of that. We’ve obtained enough evidence in the probable case statement to get him charged."
Davis said Carey's criminal history does not show any felonies. Carey's criminal history consists of traffic tickets.
Tara Wilson, whose grandchildren attend the Belton School District, weighed in on the incident.
“We just got to believe in the process. Unfortunately, sometimes they do slip through the crack," Wilson said. "You got to believe in that process that’s what keeps them safe.”
Wilson said while her faith remains strong in the school district and other authorities, but the allegations against Carey are still shocking.
"It’s sad that’s what our kids have to worry about these days," Wilson said. "You know it’s not like, ‘Oh who am I going to play with today or am I going to get my homework done or who’s my next date.' So it’s sad."
Davis said their investigation is in the beginning stages and Carey could face additional charges. His message to parents is to talk to their children.
"Have these open, honest conversations with your kids," he said. "Let them know not to be afraid to come forward in these times and if there is anything that constitutes criminal activity, reach out to local law enforcement.”
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