The criminal case against a former Pe Ell School District contract employee accused of sending inappropriate messages to a female student in December has been elevated from a gross misdemeanor to a felony.
The employee, Evan Lynn Schimelpfenig, 34, of Doty, was arrested Dec. 19 after the Pe Ell School District reported the messages to local law enforcement the day prior.
A deputy with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reviewed the messages, which included five pages of correspondence via email and 12 pages of Snapchat messages. The messages reportedly include sexual comments, mentions of “a rumor going around school about the two having a relationship,” and three photos of the student’s cleavage, according to court documents. Nothing in the messages indicate the two had physical contact.
When questioned by a deputy, the student reportedly “confirmed the messages,” admitted to sending photographs to Schimelpfenig and “said there was no physical contact between them,” according to court documents.
Schimelpfenig allegedly “admitted to the relationship” when interviewed by a deputy at his residence, according to court documents.
Prior to his arrest, Schimelpfenig worked for the Pe Ell School District as an IT technician and was the adviser for the school’s esports team.
Schimelpfenig was charged Dec. 20 with one gross misdemeanor count of communication with a minor for immoral purposes. He was released from the Lewis County Jail on his own personal recognizance that same day, with conditions of release prohibiting him from having any contact with minors.
The gross misdemeanor charge has since been dismissed from Lewis County District Court. The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office re-filed the case in Lewis County Superior Court on Feb. 7, this time charging Schimelpfenig with one count of felony communication with a minor for immoral purposes.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Schimelpfenig was issued a summons notice for a Feb. 28 preliminary hearing on the felony case, which he was present for.
While the prosecution asked for Schimelpfenig to be arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail on $10,000 bail due to community safety concerns, Judge J. Andrew Toynbee opted to allow Schimelpfenig to remain out of custody on $20,000 unsecured bail.
Conditions of release include provisions prohibiting him from having contact with minors or going anywhere minors are known to congregate, such as schools or playgrounds.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, March 7.
