JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — A woman who teaches at a middle school in Jefferson County was charged on Monday with sharing porn with children after a months-long investigation into allegations that she sent inappropriate photos to students.
Tosha Kerperien, 37, faces charges of sharing or attempting to share pornographic material with three minors. Kerperien was still listed as an 8th-grade math teacher on Ridgewood Middle School's staff webpage Monday afternoon.
In January, the Fox C-6 School District and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office began investigating Kerperien after the allegations surfaced.
A statement from the sheriff's office issued Monday said the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged the teacher with three misdemeanor crimes.
"Investigators believe Kerperien sent the photos via social media to three separate juvenile individuals," the sheriff's office statement said. "Kerperien was issued a criminal summons and therefore was not booked or photographed at the Jefferson County Jail."
A spokesperson with the sheriff's department said Kerperien was issued summons instead of being arrested because she faces only misdemeanor charges.
Charging documents dated April 27 said, a Jefferson County detective had probable cause to believe Kerperien shared the photos between Jan. 14 and Jan. 16, using Snapchat.
We've reached out to the prosecuting attorney's office to see why wasn't Kerperien charged until June 6 when the investigators submitted for charges in late April, but we haven't heard back.
A Ridgewood Middle School official told investigators on Jan. 18, multiple students and teachers reported seeing inappropriate photos of the teacher.
Later on Jan. 18, a Jefferson County Sheriff's Office deputy was sent to check on Kerperien after she made suicidal statements.
Investigators found three children who reported receiving a photo of a nude woman from Kerperien's Snapchat account. One child told investigators there was at least another photo from the teacher's account.
Kerperien chatted with the victims via Snapchat before sending the photos, the victims told investigators.
The Fox C-6 School District and the sheriff's office refused to name the teacher in January, but Superintendent Paul Fregeau said in a January letter to parents that the school district launched an investigation as soon as staff was aware of the allegations.
The letter did not say at what school the teacher was working.
"Please know that the District immediately investigates complaints of employee misconduct and takes appropriate steps in response, including removal of employees from District property and preventing future access to our schools and students," Fregeau said in the letter.
