Warden substitute teacher accused of voyeurism, possessing child pornography

A 53-year-old substitute teacher with the Warden School District in Grant County was arrested Thursday under suspicion of voyeurism and possessing child pornography.

Michael S. Leavitt, who’s been under investigation for several months, is accused of recording a 9-year-old student under her dress while teaching in the classroom, Warden Police Chief Rick Martin wrote in a news release. Warden is about 20 miles southeast of Moses Lake.

The complaint was received in October, when Leavitt was an “emergency substitute teacher” for the district.

With the assistance of the Moses Lake Police Department and Richland Police Department, investigators examined Leavitt’s iCloud account associated with his phone, where they found videos that matched the 9-year-old’s statement, Martin wrote.

Leavitt was a part-time substitute teacher for the district from November 2016 through mid-October 2017 and taught classes at the elementary, middle and high schools.

“He only subbed 12 times total,” Martin said. “And some of those were just half-days.”

A second recording of a different child was also discovered, in addition to evidence that he viewed child pornography on the device.

Warden police worked with the FBI in Spokane to obtain a federal search warrant of Leavitt’s home. The FBI is investigating “possible possession and production of child porn by Leavitt,” Martin said.

Leavitt was booked Thursday for voyeurism, police said. Further charges could be forthcoming.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Warden Police Department at (509) 762-1160.