Catholic school teacher sent sexually explicit videos, photos of herself to 14-year-old student, police say

A Delaware Catholic school teacher sent sexually explicit videos and photos of herself to a 14-year-old student, New Castle County Police confirmed Wednesday to Blaze News.

Detectives discovered that 24-year-old Alanis Pinion — an 8th-grade teacher at St. Mary Magdalen School in Wilmington — frequently communicated with her students via Snapchat and had sent sexually explicit photographs to one of them, police said in a news release. Blaze News confirmed with police that "erotic" videos also were sent to the student.

When the teen asked why Pinion was sending the videos, she reportedly replied, 'Because I'm bored,' the paper said.

Pinion was taken into custody Thursday, police said, and charged with one felony count of sexual solicitation of a child under 18, one felony count of endangering the welfare of a child, and one misdemeanor count of first-degree indecent exposure. Police added that Pinion was taken to Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution after failing to pay $46,000 cash bail.

The News Journal said detectives began investigating after being contacted July 12 about videos that had been sent two days earlier via Snapchat. The paper, citing an arrest warrant, said Pinion — a Spanish teacher — had been communicating with the teen for several weeks, and it wasn't until July 10 that the "erotic" videos were sent to him.

The News Journal, citing court documents, reported that over a 30-to-45-minute span that night Pinion sent him 10 to 15 videos. When the teen asked why Pinion was sending the videos, she reportedly replied, "Because I'm bored," the paper said. The teen added to police that Pinion also said, "I'm going to be your favorite teacher forever," the News Journal reported.

The paper reported that the teen recorded the Snapchat videos on his phone while playing them on an iPad. The victim's parents allegedly instructed him to delete the videos and block Pinion, the paper said.

More from the News Journal:

By the time police got involved two days later, most of the videos had been deleted, though one was recovered on the teen's iCloud account. When detectives later searched Pinion's home, they found clothes that appeared similar to what she wore in that video, as well as bedroom furnishings that matched those recorded.

A search of her cell phone showed she had since deleted Snapchat, but phone notifications indicated she had received messages on the app from the teen at the time that she was sending him videos. Detectives also saw that the phone's camera was used during the same timeframe, the warrant says.

Police said the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington was contacted, informed, and fully cooperated with the investigation.

Father James T. Kirk Jr. — pastor of St. Mary Magdalen parish — sent a letter to parents, staff, and parishioners regarding the allegations against Pinion, whom he described as a "former" part-time, contract employee, the News Journal said.

"The contractor had successfully completed the required background check process prior to her employment," wrote Father Kirk. "Please be assured that all of us at Saint Mary Magdalen Parish and School, along with our partners at the Diocese of Wilmington, always keep the safety of our children and youth as a primary goal."

Police added that they are "concerned" there could be other victims who haven't yet come forward, and police said they're urging anyone with information about this case to contact Det. Daniel Watson at 302-395-8030 or by email at Daniel.Watson@newcastlede.gov.

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