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A Dale City middle school teacher has been charged with inappropriately touching one student and sending improper text messages to another.
Shannon Arnold Patterson, 32, of 14306 Franklin St. in Woodbridge, turned himself in Monday after detectives obtained warrants charging him with one count of taking indecent liberties with a child while in a custodial relationship and use of a communication system to facilitate offenses involving children.
Police said the first victim, a 15-year-old boy who attends Beville Middle School, was touched inappropriately between November and July. The next victim, another 15-year-old boy who goes to Beville, received inappropriate text messages during the same time frame, said Prince William County police spokeswoman Erika Hernandez.
Patterson is a language arts teacher at Beville, located at 4901 Dale Blvd., and has been employed with Prince William County Public Schools since 2000, said schools spokesman Ken Blackstone.
Detectives launched their investigation last month and obtained arrest warrants for Patterson earlier this week.
None of the inappropriate contact took place on school grounds, said Hernandez. Investigators would not say if the child was believed to have been touched more than once during the nine-month time frame.
Patterson has been suspended without pay pending the results of the investigation, said Blackstone.
“When someone has been charged with something like this and they have been through the legal process, then if they are found guilty…they are terminated,” said Blackstone.
Students across the county return to school on Sept. 8, and so far, Blackstone said he was not aware of any parents who have contacted Beville about the arrest.
School administrators may send out a letter to parents informing them of the arrest. Blackstone said the school system continues to assist police in their investigation.
Beville Middle School opened its doors in 1991 and currently has more than 1,000 students enrolled.
Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.
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