Bouse Pastor / Former Quartzsite Teacher arrested in sex sting

MESA, AZ -

A Baptist Pastor from Bouse, Arizona was among several others arrested in a sex sting operation in Arizona, according to the Mesa Police Department.

Mesa Police detectives completed another operation targeting sexual predators trying to engage in sex acts with underage juveniles. Operation Home Schooled utilized undercover detectives posing as 13- and 14-year-old juveniles and traffickers chatting on commonly used internet sites where suspects seek out illegal sex acts. The suspects solicited and/or brokered deals for various sex acts with the minor and were arrested when they responded to the location where they were supposed to meet the minor for sex.

The suspects in the latest operation ranged in age from 23 to 66 years old, including Finkbeiner, age 66. Finkbeiner faces charges of Attempted Sexual Conduct with a Minor, a Class 3 Felony. Finkbeiner retired from Quartzsite Elementary School last year after teaching 7th & 8 graders in Quartzsite. He is also a minister of Bouse Baptist Church. 


UPDATE: Statement from Theodore Finkbeiner received Thursday afternoon: 

"As a point of clarification, this report does not report that the allegation was not substantiated, and no charge has been filed. Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to report the full story, which is that the allegation has not been substantiated." Upon further questioning he responded, "I am innocent of the allegation. On adice [sic ] of counsel, I will add nothing to this statement."

Each year the Mesa Police Department conducts operations of this type in a continuous effort to remove these predators from our community. Suspects willing to solicit sex acts with children are some of the most dangerous criminals in our society. 

Theodore Finkbeiner, 66
Bouse, Arizona
Attempted Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Class 3 Felony

James M Lanta, 54
Gilbert, Arizona
Sex Trafficking, Class 2 Felony
Child Prostitution, Class 2 Felony

Kelly T Davis, 52
Mesa, Arizona
Attempted Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Class 3 Felony
Furnishing Harmful Items to a Minor, Class 4 Felony

Jason M Garcia, 50
Mesa, Arizona
Sex Trafficking, Class 2 Felony
Child Prostitution, Class 2 Felony

Anthony Kueneman, 41
Gilbert, Arizona
Sex Trafficking, Class 2 Felony
Child Prostitution, Class 2 Felony
Failure to Have Sex Offender ID, Class 6 Felony

Faisal El Samaryi, 41
Mesa, Rziona
Sex Trafficking, Class 2 Felony
Child Prostitution, Class 2 Felony

Cam R. Chambers, 39
Las Vegas, Nevada
Sex Trafficking, Class 2 Felony
Child Prostitution, Class 2 Felony

Kyle J. Pierce, 26
Mesa, Arizona
Attempted Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Class 3 Felony
Luring a Minor for Sex, Class 3 Felony

Logan Duran, 23
Gilbert, Arizona
Attempted Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Class 3 Felony
Furnishing Harmful Items to a Minor, Class 4 Felony

Timothy W. Eastman, 45
Avondale, Arizona
Child Prostitution, Class 2 Felony
Attempted Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Class 3 Felony

Quartzsite Town Employees Pay It Forward Today

Pay It Forward Day comes to Quartzsite today! 

Quartzsite, AZ - For the 2nd year in a row, Quartzsite Town Staff will be participating in Pay It Forward Day in a variety of ways around town today by...

Public Works staff will be helping clean and hand out food at the Food Bank
Police officers will be holding a BBQ at Senior Apts.
Quartzsite Library is giving away FREE Books & Cookies.
Magistrate Court & Office Staff will be cooking lunch at Senior Center
Parks Dept. staff will be cleaning & trimming trees at Post Office & Annex
Town Staff will also be Visiting Shut-ins,  Handing out cookies to Transit riders.

• Staff will be visiting Quartzsite Elementary School with suggestions to Help a Friend, Help your Teacher Clean up the Room, Do Extra Chores at Home, Pay Attention to Someone You've Ignored,  and Coupons for FREE Ice Cream Cones from Burger King. 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Pay for someone’s cup of coffee
• Get the next person’s food, toll, petrol, etc.
• Help someone out in need
• Be creative!!! Click here for more ideas.
• While Pay it Forward Day focuses on marketing the concept of selfless giving for just one day a year,  everyday can be Pay it Forward Day by connecting to the Pay it Forward Foundation at http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/

ASBA offers free webinars for school board candidates La Paz County

By TRACY BENSON
ASBA Director of Communications

PHOENIX—Hundreds of school board seats in Arizona will be up for election this November, and the deadline for submitting materials necessary to run is just a few months away. To assist those who are interested in running for a seat on their local governing board, the Arizona School Boards Association, a non-partisan, non-profit organization that provides leadership and assistance to public school governing boards statewide, is hosting free informational webinars in March and April on the basics of board service and what it takes to run.

Individuals who are considering running are encouraged to participate in one of the three webinars. They are scheduled for Tuesday, March 25, 12 to 1 p.m., Monday, March 31, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 26, from 10 to 11 a.m.

Topics to be covered in each webinar will include:

• Why Serve?

• What School Board Members Do (and What They Don’t Do)

• Eligibility and the Basics of Running for Office

• Commonly Asked Questions about Board Service

• Support Available to Board Members Once Elected

Participants will also have the opportunity to submit questions to be answered live during the webinar.

Karen Loftus, director of leadership development for the Arizona School Boards Association, and Chris Thomas, ASBA’s general counsel and director of legal and policy services, will lead the webinars.

Thomas is a former school board member. ASBA Director of Communications Tracey Benson will host the webinars.

Those interested in participating can register online at www.azsba.org/becoming-a-board-member <http://www.azsba.org/becoming-a-board-member> .

ASBA offers additional resources for those considering running for school board. A 20-page publication titled “School Board Service in Arizona” will be available in late March through the offices of most county school superintendents and also by contacting ASBA at 602-254-1100.

The information contained in the booklet also is available online on the Becoming a Board Member page of the ASBA’s web site (www.azsba.org/becoming-a-board-member).

The following La Paz County district governing board positions up for election in the fall General Election

Bicentennial Union High School District: Three four-year terms;

Bouse Elementary School District: One two-year term and one four-year term;

Parker Unified School District: One two-year term and three four-year terms;

Quartzsite Elementary School District: Three four-year terms;

Salome Consolidated Elementary School District: One two-year term and three four-year terms; and Wenden Elementary School District: Three four-year terms.

Ehrenberg teacher arrested for sex crimes

Blythe, CA

Riverside County Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force, arrested Russell A. Williams, 45, a teacher at Ehrenberg Elementary School, on July 17, 2013. Williams, of Blythe, Calif., is facing Felony charges of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor under 14  and sending/possessing obscene matter.

Williams is the focus of a 

Special Meeting of the Quartzsite Elementary School 

(QES) District 4 Board tomorrow July 25, at 8 am

in Ehrenberg Elementary School. 

The board will decide to terminate Williams, as he allegedly violated A.R.S 15-550. “Unprofessional conduct of a teacher”.

Apparently Williams did not immediately report the arrest or charge to his supervisor, Jacque Price, QES Superintendent. School policy states an employee of the school "who is arrested for or charged with any nonappealable offense listed in ARS. 41-1758.03 (B) AND who does not immediately report the arrest or charge to the person's supervisor is guilty of unprofessional conduct and the person shall be immediately dismissed from employment..."

Williams taught 5th grade last year at the Ehrenberg School, according to Price. She stated, "He's been teaching long before I arrived and was dedicated to his students." 

When asked if there had been prior complaints, Price said, "every teacher has complaints, but there was no particular complaints of this nature."

The agenda appeared on the QES website, but parents complained of not seeing the posting in the usual locations in Quartzsite. Price told Desert Messenger she is short staffed at the present, so didn't post the "courtesy notice" of tomorrow's meeting agenda in Quartzsite as usual. She said she is only required to post the agenda on the school's website, which she said met the requirement of posting within 24 hours of the scheduled meeting.

UPDATE: QES Press Release issued Friday, July 26th:

During an open meeting held on Thursday, July 25, 2013, the Quartzsite Elementary School Governing Board voted to terminate  Ehrenberg Elementary School teacher, Russell A. Williams, after finding he was in violation of A.R.S. §15-550 and Governing Board policy GBEB. Mr. Williams was arrested on July 17, 2013, and failed to immediately contact his supervisor to notify her of the arrest.

If you have information regarding Mr. Williams, you may contact the Riverside County District Attorney's Office by calling 951-955-5400 or toll-free at 888-374-1235.  You may also contact Superintendent Jacque Price at 928-923-7900 or the La Paz County Sheriff's Office at 928-669-9560.  

Quartzsite Elementary School Awards Nights for both schools planned

Quartzsite School District is celebrating National School Choice Week (Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, 2013) in Quartzsite and Ehrenberg with several activities and events planned through February 1.

Quartzsite Elementary School, Quartzsite, AZ

Awards Night, January 23, 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Grail Theater's Presentation "Oliver Twist", in the Ehrenberg School Gym,  January 24, 12:45-1:45 p.m.

Donuts and Coffee for Parents, January 29, 8:15-9:15 a.m.

We are letting parents know that we appreciate their support and choosing Quartzsite Elementary School as the BEST choice for their child in Quartzsite, Arizona

Ehrenberg Elementary School, Ehrenberg, AZ

Awards Night, January 22, 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Grail Theater's Presentation "Oliver Twist", in the Ehrenberg School Gym,  January 24, 12:45-1:45 p.m.

Rootbeer Floats for students, January 25

Shredded Beef Barbacoa Dinner, January 25, 5:00-7:00 p.m. ($7.00)

Donuts and Coffee for Parents, February 1, 8:15-9:15 a.m.

We are letting parents know that we appreciate their support and choosing Ehrenberg Elementary School as the BEST choice for their child in Ehrenberg, Arizona

Quartzsite Elementary School Free & Reduced-Price Meals policy

Quartzsite Elementary School District free and reduced-price meals policy

Quartzsite Elementary School District No. 4 has announced its policy for providing free and reduced-price meals for children served under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Each school and/or the central office have a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by any interested party.

The household size and income criteria will be used to determine eligibility for free and reduced-price benefits. Children from households whose income is at or below the guidelines are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Children who are members of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households, Cash Assistance (CA) units or Food Distribution Program on the Indian Reservation (FDPIR) households are automatically eligible for free meals. SNAP/CA families will be certified by the determining official via Direct Certification. Foster children who are the legal responsibility of a welfare agency or court may also be eligible for benefits regardless of the income of the household with whom they reside. Eligibility for the foster child is based on the child’s income.

Application forms are being distributed to all households with a letter informing households of the availability of free and reduced-price meals for their children. Applications also are available at the school secretary’s office in each school. To apply for free or reduced-price meals, households must fill out the application and return it to the school. The information households provide on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and verification of data. Applications may be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program officials.

For school officials to determine eligibility for free and reduced-price benefits, households receiving FDPIR only have to list their child’s name and FDPIR case number. An adult household member must sign the application. Households which do not list a FDPIR case number must list the names of all household members, the amount and source of the monthly income received by each household member, and the Social Security number of the adult household member who signs the application. If the household member signing does not have a Social Security number, he or she must indicate a Social Security number is not available. An adult household member must sign the application.

Under the provisions of the free and reduced-price policy, Renee King, food Services Manager, will review applications and determine eligibility. Parents or guardians dissatisfied with the ruling of the official may wish to discuss the decision with determining official on an informal basis. Parents wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either orally or in writing to Renee King, Food Services Manager, P.O. Box 130, Ehrenberg, Ariz. 85334, or call 928-923-7900.

If a household member become unemployed, or if the household size increases, the household should contact the school. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household’s income falls at or below the levels.



Non-discrimination statement. This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly: “In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call 800-795-3272 or 202-720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”