McMinnville teacher arrested in Washington

The News-Register staff

Police in Redmond, Wash., arrested a McMinnville fourth-grade teacher during spring break on charges of “communicating with a minor for immoral purposes” and attempted child rape.

No McMinnville children are involved, police said.

Andrew Bert Hammond, 50, is in his first year teaching at Newby Elementary School. He had no after school or coaching assignments, according to the McMinnville School District.

He was placed on administrative leave following his arrest, and his class is being covered by another teacher from Newby.

Students are safe, district officials told parents of children in his class in a letter sent Monday afternoon.

Superintendent Debbie Brockett said she sent the letter in order to reassure parents. The district is conducting its own investigation in light of the arrest.

Brockett said the district “followed all guidelines” when hiring Hammond in 2021. Checks revealed “no reason to believe” he shouldn’t be hired, she said.

Parents with concerns or questions can call the school district office at 503-565-4000.

Hammond was arrested Friday, March 25, in Redmond, just east of Seattle. He was booked into the King County Correctional Facility on $100,000 bail on four counts of communication with a minor for immoral purposes, second-degree attempted rape of a child and third-degree attempted rape of a child.

Jill Green, a spokesperson for Redmond PD, said Hammond was arrested during an ongoing series of “proactive undercover operations” her office conducts using decoy profiles on social networking and dating apps to meet suspects. 

He is alleged to have been communicating with detectives posing as 13-year-old and 14-year-old girls, the first one since October 2021. He was told their ages several times, police said.

“He continued to engage in sexually motivated conversations with the investigators, believing they were minors,” Redmond police said.

“After months ... Hammond proposed meeting with the minors at a hotel in Redmond to engage in sexual activity,” police said. “He was arrested after checking into his hotel room.”

Officers searched his vehicle and located evidence, including condoms, handcuffs and duct tape, they said.

Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe said his department is dedicated to keeping children safe and taking child predators off the streets. “The important message for parents is to monitor your children’s activities on their phones and computers,” he said.