A high school teacher from Gresham-Barlow School District was arrested yesterday during a sting operation that began with the Bothell Police Department in Washington state. Oscar Armando Ramirez, 36, was taken into custody by the Portland Police Bureau's Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and other units after being indicted on multiple charges involving attempted sexual contact with a minor.
The investigation into Ramirez started when a Bothell Police detective, undercover as a 13-year-old girl, connected with him during a sting operation. According to Portland Police Bureau's press release, the conversation quickly turned to sexual content, and plans were made for a meeting, allegedly, when her parents would not be home. Following the four-day conversation, the Bothell Police notified their Portland counterparts, leading to immediate action by the local authorities.
Upon notification, the Portland Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) team, part of the Child Abuse Team (CAT), stepped in quickly to further investigate. They notified the Gresham-Barlow School District, which put Ramirez on administrative leave. Consequently, the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office worked with the PPB to bring the case before a Grand Jury, resulting in Ramirez facing charges including three counts of Luring a Minor and Online Sexual Corruption of a Child in the Second Degree, as reported on Tuesday.
Ramirez was arrested outside his home in the Sunnyside Neighborhood of Southeast Portland, and no evidence has come to light to suggest implicating any students or other children directly in these crimes.
