Assistant principal in Coulee Dam arrested, suspected of child exploitation

The assistant principal of an elementary school in Coulee Dam, Washington, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sexually exploiting a minor.

Nate Piturachsatit, 37, was arrested at Lake Roosevelt Elementary during the school day after an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, said Sgt. Larry Hall, the interim chief of the Coulee Dam Police Department.

Piturachsatit is suspected of sending and soliciting sexually explicit pictures from a 14-year-old girl in Wisconsin via Instagram on their cellphones, court records say. There are no allegations related to any other minors, Hall said.

Hall said the arrest was shocking to parents and other officials.

“He’s well-liked and well-respected in the community,” he said.

Before he became the assistant principal, Piturachsatit was a physical education teacher and girls volleyball coach.

The mother of the 14-year-old called police on Jan. 8 to report that her daughter received a “suspicious” package. The package included a shirt from the store Pink and had a return address from “Nate” with a Spokane address where Piturachsatit used to live, according to court records.

Police questioned the girl who told police she had begun communicating with the man who sent her the package in November via Instagram. She told him soon after that she was 14, court records say. The person sending her the message said he was 19. Within about two weeks, their conversations became sexual and he began sending sexually explicit pictures of himself, according to court records.

When police examined her phone, they learned that the man had requested she send naked pictures of herself and sometimes pressured her to delay homework or going to bed to do so.

When contacted by police, Piturachsatit admitted sending the girl pictures and videos of himself naked and masturbating. He also admitted that she sent him naked pictures of herself and that he knew she was a minor.

About 15 law enforcement officers from the task force came Coulee Dam to make the arrest and search his home.

“It turned a lot of heads in the town,” Hall said. “It didn’t take long for it to get out.”

Seattle police Capt. Mike Edwards said Piturachsatit appeared to be well-respected at the school.

“He has got high marks as a teacher,” he said.

The case was a high priority because of his work in a school, Edwards said.

The Grand Coulee School District posted a message on the school’s Facebook page that said Piturachsatit was placed on paid leave.

“Our school was visited today by several law enforcement officers who were following up on allegations against a staff member related to incidents completely separate from the school,” the Facebook message said. “While they attempted to cause minimal disruption to the educational process it is assumed that students did notice the visitors and may have some questions.”

Hall said Piturachsatit was cooperative and taken to the Okanogan County Jail. He was booked on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, communication with a minor for immoral purposes and possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. A search warrant was served on his home in Coulee Dam and at the school.

Okanogan County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Branden Platter said he requested that bond be set at $250,000, but a judge decided to increase that to $500,000.

Piturachsatit told police that he was planning to interview for a job in Thailand that afternoon and that he and his wife were planning to move there with their children. His plans to move was one of the reasons noted by prosecutors when requesting high bail.