Teacher in sexting case to be tried in Walla Walla

A Tri-City teacher, who reportedly has submitted his resignation, pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon to three criminal charges related to accusations he was sexting with a Walla Walla County teenager for two months starting last spring.

Edwin J. Bush, 29, of Kennewick, is set for trial in Walla Walla County Superior Court starting Oct. 31 on two counts of possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and one count of communication with a minor for immoral purposes.

The teenage girl told officials in July she and Bush “had numerous sexually charged conversations over the past few months on Facebook messenger and had exchanged nude photographs of each other,” according to a Sheriff’s Office report filed in court.

A search of the teen’s cellphone revealed 1,260 messages with 60 attachments sent between her and Bush from May 17 to July 17, the report states.

At least eight of the attachments allegedly were nude pictures of the girl and numerous others were photographs of her in various stages of undress.

Bush was booked into the Walla Walla County Jail on July 27, but released the following day after bond on $30,000 bail was posted.

A teacher at Hawthorne Elementary School in Kennewick, he was placed on administrative leave after his arrest. He submitted his resignation last week, according to the Tri-City Herald.

As a matter of procedure, the Kennewick school board will consider the resignation later this month, the newspaper said.

He also reportedly was placed on administrative leave from his position as a wrestling coach in the Kiona-Benton City School District.