Kentucky teacher charged in Washington County online child sex sting

(FOX 9) - A Kentucky middle school teacher is accused of sending sexually explicit messages and videos to an undercover investigator posing as a 15-year-old girl in Washington County.

Elmer Mitchell Fields, 57, of Viper, Kentucky, is facing one felony count of engaging in electronic communication describing sexual conduct with a child, according to court documents filed Friday in Washington County.

Teacher accused of messaging teen

The backstory:

On July 28, human trafficking investigators created an undercover account on the Kik messaging app posing as a 15-year-old girl, according to the criminal complaint. 

That same day, the undercover account received a message from a user who wrote, "Hi there. I'm 54/m married high school teacher and dad here. Home alone on break."

After the undercover investigator said she was 15 years old, the man allegedly began asking questions about her grade level, relationships and sexual experiences.

The complaint states the conversations became sexually explicit, with the man allegedly describing sexual acts and sending multiple videos and audio recordings of himself. 

Investigators later identified the person believed to be behind the account as Fields, a middle school teacher in the Hazard Independent School District in Kentucky, according to the complaint. 

Alleged messages to other girls

Dig deeper:

According to court documents, investigators obtained a search warrant for the Kik account and discovered multiple conversations with other users who identified themselves as girls between 13 and 16 years old. Many of those conversations were allegedly sexual in nature.

Investigators also found messages in which the account user allegedly discussed his school schedule and specific dates when he was on break. Officers compared the dates with the school district's calendar, which appeared to be a match. 

Additionally, investigators reported finding a news interview involving Fields at the school, and they determined his voice matched audio recordings sent to the undercover account, according to the complaint. 

Search warrant executed at Kentucky home

Search warrant:

On Oct. 28, Kentucky law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Fields' home.

According to the complaint, investigators seized multiple electronic devices, including cellphones and computers.

Officers reportedly recovered a massage gun and bedding that authorities said appeared in videos sent to the undercover investigator, according to the complaint.  

What's next:

Court records indicate a nationwide arrest warrant was issued for Fields, citing public safety concerns because he works at a middle school in Hazard, Kentucky, and has no ties to Minnesota.

The Source: This story uses information from a Washington County criminal complaint.