HEBER CITY, Utah, Jan. 31, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A registered sex offender was arrested in Heber City after police said he entered an elementary school with his girlfriend and her daughter, ostensibly to meet with the child’s teacher.
Officers quickly responded and took Bruce Chatwin into custody since he does not have a biological child at the school, said a news release from the Heber City Police Department.
The staff at J.R. Smith Elementary, at 235 E. 500 North, notified the police department that a man had entered the school Tuesday afternoon, the news release said.
The staff recognized the male as a registered sex offender who does not have children attending the school.
Chatwin was arrested at his home nearby and booked into the Wasatch County Jail for violating the terms of the sex offender registration agreement.
“Thank you to the staff at J.R. Smith Elementary for remaining vigilant at keeping the students and school safe,” the news release said.
The school posted the following message on its homepage:
As school was dismissing yesterday afternoon at J.R. Smith Elementary, a registered sex offender came to the school with his girlfriend and her daughter to visit with the daughter’s teacher and drop off homework. State law indicates that registered sex offenders are only allowed to visit schools if they have a biological child, a child of whom they are a legal guardian of at the school and follow certain protocols. When the J.R. Smith staff recognized that this man did not meet the above criteria, the Heber City Police Department was contacted. The police department immediately responded to the school, meanwhile the individual, not being able to find the teacher, had left the premises. It is our understanding that the police department apprehended him shortly thereafter at his home.
The administration, faculty and staff obviously took this incident very seriously. Because of the quick actions of the school, we believe no students were ever in harm’s way. We would like to thank the Heber City Police Department for the ongoing partnership we enjoy with them and their quick response to yesterday’s incident.
