Rock Ridge HS Dean of Students Arrested on Georgia Warrant for Soliciting Child on App

VIRGINIA, Minn –Warrants claim the Rock Ridge High School Dean of Students sent graphic photos/videos of himself from within the school as part of soliciting a child from Georgia over an app.

Tuesday evening, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 51-year-old Christopher John Chad pending extradition to Georgia for online child solicitation.

Chad is the Dean of Students at Rock Ridge High School in Virginia, but was put on administrative leave following a series of search warrants on Mar. 6, one of which was executed at the school.

Warrants filed by the sheriff’s office show the investigation began with two tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The NCMEC’s CyberTipline is a central reporting system that allows entities including internet providers and messaging platforms to report suspected child sexual exploitation activity.

A messaging app known as Kik submitted the tips referencing activity from a single user account. Kik also provided the email address used to create the account. Chad was linked to the account after the Minnesota BCA subpoenaed his email provider for the phone number associated with the address, the warrants said.

Minnesota and Georgia law enforcement had been in contact about one of the tips that allegedly involved Chad’s account. While “messaging a male who he believed was a juvenile male,” the warrants claimed Chad engaged in “grooming behavior.”

Law enforcement said Chad sent explicit videos of himself, which they say further confirm he was the owner of the account. In a review of Chad’s conversations, investigators said he “shared an image in one of the chats of Rock Ridge’s Auditorium.” Chad also “mentions being at work while he is committing these offenses,” leading investigators to believe “some of the images Chad shared of him urinating were taken within the school.”

Several different articles of clothing, which investigators said are seen in photos and videos allegedly sent by Chad, are listed in the search warrants. Records indicate that authorities did seize articles of clothing, as well as smartphones, laptops, and USB drives from Chad’s office and his residence.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.