Ohio social worker admits to having sex with boy she counseled: Police
A 24-year-old Ohio woman who worked for the National Youth Advocate Program has been arrested for allegedly having sex on multiple occasions with a boy she counseled.
Court records indicate a concerned mother contacted police on Sept. 27 after finding text messages on her 13-year-old son's phone between the boy and Payton Shires of Mount Sterling, reported the Columbus Dispatch.
The mother suggested "something inappropriate was happening between her son and Ms. Shires after seeing messages asking if he had deleted the videos and asking if his mom had seen the videos or messages."
Upon executing a forensic evaluation of the boy's cell phone, police reportedly found a video of the boy and his counselor engaging in sexual conduct. The boy told detectives that he had sex with his counselor in various places in Columbus on numerous occasions in September, according to WSYX-TV.
Shires reportedly later admitted on a three-way phone call with the boy's mother and detectives to engaging in sexual activity with the 13-year-old.
WBNS-TV reported that SWAT team members with the Columbus Division of Police took Shires into custody Friday without incident.
According to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Division of Corrections, Shires was charged on her birthday with third-degree felony unlawful sexual conduct of a minor. A defendant ten or more years older than the victim who is charged thusly and convicted in Ohio can serve up to five years in prison. She may yet face additional charges.
Shires appeared Saturday in Franklin County Municipal Court, where Judge Mike McAllister set her bond at $500,000, reported the Dispatch.
Police told WBNS that Shires, who was licensed to become a social worker in June and has "Child Abuse & Neglect" in her X bio, served as a counselor for the National Youth Advocate Program.
The NYAP states on its website that it offers "flexible, creative, outcome-based solutions to meet the unique needs of the communities we serve and the individual needs of the youth and families involved in our programs and services."
The New York Post noted that it remains unclear if Shires had been assigned to the boy through the NYAP; however, the organization, which has offices in Columbus, said in a statement, "Protecting children is everyone's responsibility. The National Youth Advocate Program is saddened by the situation involving one of our former employees and a young person served by our organization."
"NYAP has reported the situation to Franklin County Children Services (FCCS) and is collaborating with them and the Columbus Police Department on this case," the organization added.
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