Edmond teacher arrested on sex complaint
EDMOND — A history teacher at Edmond Santa Fe High was arrested Monday after admitting he encouraged a student to send him nude photos, police reported.
Charles David Heaverin, 53, of Oklahoma City, was jailed on a complaint of using technology to engage in sexual communication with a minor.
Police learned about the communication after the boy attempted suicide Thursday, according to a report. The boy — identified as 17 — was hospitalized for mental health treatment after cutting his neck with a knife.
Police reported the two “were sending each other full nude males photos and making sexual comments about the photos.” Police reported the two were communicating through Instagram. Police reported finding numerous messages on the boy’s phone.
Police contacted Heaverin at the school Monday and interviewed him at the police department.
“The defendant admitted he knew the victim was under the age of 18,” police detective Jimmy Gwartney wrote in an affidavit.
“He advised that he would encourage the victim to send him nude selfies as well as he had even sent nude selfies to the victim. The defendant admitted he knew this was against the law but he allowed the communications to continue,” the detective wrote.
The victim had been in Heaverin’s class previously, police reported.
Heaverin has been a teacher in Edmond since August 2013 and taught advanced placement history classes at the high school.
Santa Fe High School Principal Jason Hayes told parents in a letter that Heaverin “has been placed on leave and plans have been implemented for a qualified substitute to cover his classes until the end of the semester.”
“The district will take appropriate action regarding Mr. Heaverin’s employment once the internal and external investigations are complete,” Hayes wrote. “While this is the first such complaint of this nature regarding Mr. Heaverin, the school district and I are acutely aware that you may have concerns about the potential for other victims. If you believe your child could possibly be a victim, you are urged to call the Edmond Police Department.”
Heaverin also is an adjunct professor at the University of Central Oklahoma.