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Editor's Note: This story contains information and descriptions of child sexual abuse and may not be appropriate for sensitive audiences
SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash - A Riverside Elementary School educator faces multiple felony charges related to the recording and sharing of juveniles engaged in sexual activity. He also admitted soliciting children online for sex and recording the acts.
Dallas Shuler was arrested Saturday and booked into the Spokane County jail on charges that include possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Court documents show Shuler cooperated with investigators and, as their interviews went on, admitted to more crimes.
The first tip to the FBI
According to the affidavit of facts, the FBI first learned of the incident and identified Shuler as a possible suspect in the online enticement of minors.
The FBI agent reviewed a series of videos that showed two young boys engaged in sexual activity on Snapchat.
According to the affidavit, "Shuler is screen recording this act" and his face is seen briefly on the video.
The FBI found 14 other videos in the same series sent to Shuler, who was recording them.
Agents identified Shuler as an employee of the Riverside School District and shared the information with a Spokane County Deputy who serves as the school resource deputy for the district.
The deputy identified Shuler as an assistant para-educator and a coach for the district.
According to the affidavit, investigators questioned Shuler at the school on May 7th.
Court documents say Shuler did not invoke his right to an attorney or his right to remain silence.
'Pretty dark things'
In the course of the questioning, the affidavit says Shuler said he got into some "pretty dark things" in high school and college, saying he "enjoyed looking at sexually explicit images of children in pubescent/pre-adolescent age."
The document says Shuler admitted looking at "nudist" sites on the internet "in order to view pictures of children under the age of 18 in various stages of undress to include fully nude and engaging with other juveniles in sexually explicit conduct."
"He viewed sexually explicit material of children as young as ten," the investigator wrote.
The investigator wrote that Shuler admitted being "sexually aroused by minors and watching them engage in sexually explicit conduct with each other."
Shuler told investigators he never attempted contact with any children for sexual purposes.
"His sexual attraction to minors is a problem. He knows it is wrong and wants help," the investigator wrote.
Later in the questioning, though, the investigator says Shuler admitted to "conversing with minors regarding sexual content."
"Within the past year he has communicated online with over 25 minors for immoral purposes and admits there is more than 25 victims," the investigator wrote.
Shuler was adamant that there are no local victims and "denied arranging to meet with any minors for sexual activity."
The investigator said Shuler admitted posing as a juvenile boy or girl when talking to kids online.
The investigator said Shuler admitted trading images of children engaging in sexual acts in order to get a picture or video in return.
Shuler told the investigators he "doesn't want to be viewed as an evil person."
He said he has never done anything sexually with a minor because he "has morals."
Shuler told investigators he communicates with kids through Instagram, Kik, Telegram, Wink, Hoop, Snapchat, Meta and others.
He said most of the immoral communication happened through Instagram and that he initiated the contact.
In regards to the video that triggered the investigation, Shuler told investigators he viewed it several times and that he contacted the boys "and offered sexually explicit images in exchange for their participation in sending him an oral copulation video."
He estimated the boys were between 10 and 11 years old.
Investigators say Shuler cooperated with the investigation and gave them the code to his phone.
Admitting to more crimes
Investigators then served a search warrant at a home in Deer Park where Shuler was house sitting.
That's when they say he revealed even more information.
According to the affidavit, Shuler told investigators he did have sexual contact with two juvenile males.
The first one, the affidavit says, was a teenage boy Shuler met on Snapchat in 2023.
Shuler told investigators they met in the woods near University High School and had oral sex.
He then contacted another 14-year old boy on Snapchat and the two met up at a campground on the way to Newport.
The affidavit says Shuler told investigators the two performed sexual acts on each other and Shuler provided vapes to the boy.
"He thinks he may have provided the phone to second youth to record him performing sex acts on the minor," the investigator wrote. "He has distributed these videos to other people on various apps."
Riverside School District Superintendent Dr. Ken Russell shared basic information about the arrest with families and staff last week.
He told them that, based on initial information, no Riverside students have been identified as victims.
Dr. Russell said Shuler was placed on administrative leave and that the district is working closely with investigators.
Shuler is being held in the Spokane County Jail on the following charges: dealing in depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
'Clear and imminent threat to the community'
After a weekend in jail, Shuler faced a judge Monday.
Prosecutors wanted his bond set higher than the $25,000 that was set upon Shuler's initial arrest.
They argued that Shuler "presents a clear and imminent threat to the community" and that, with his employment, he intentionally put himself in a position to be surrounded by minors.
Shuler's newly-appointed public defender argued that Shuler has no criminal history and that the charges were "completely out of character."
He argued that Shuler's parents would be supporting him and that bond should remain at $25,000.
Commissioner Eugene Cruz sided with the prosecution, saying "there are high community safety concerns triggered in this particular case."
Commissioner Cruz cited specifics from the affidavit and also said it was most concerning that Shuler's job put him in direct contact with kids who were the same age as the kids he watched performing sex acts online.
The commissioner also noted that Shuler could end up facing federal charges in the case, as the investigation was initiated by the FBI.
Cruz kept Shuler's bond at $150,000.
If he is able to bond out before trial, Shuler was ordered not to contact any minors or be in any areas where they would congregate.
Unless he posts bond, Shuler will remain in jail until his arraignment later this month.
Editor's Note: This story contains information and descriptions of child sexual abuse and may not be appropriate for sensitive audiences
SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash - A Riverside Elementary School educator faces multiple felony charges related to the recording and sharing of juveniles engaged in sexual activity. He also admitted soliciting children online for sex and recording the acts.
Dallas Shuler was arrested Saturday and booked into the Spokane County jail on charges that include possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Court documents show Shuler cooperated with investigators and, as their interviews went on, admitted to more crimes.
The first tip to the FBI
According to the affidavit of facts, the FBI first learned of the incident and identified Shuler as a possible suspect in the online enticement of minors.
The FBI agent reviewed a series of videos that showed two young boys engaged in sexual activity on Snapchat.
According to the affidavit, "Shuler is screen recording this act" and his face is seen briefly on the video.
The FBI found 14 other videos in the same series sent to Shuler, who was recording them.
Agents identified Shuler as an employee of the Riverside School District and shared the information with a Spokane County Deputy who serves as the school resource deputy for the district.
The deputy identified Shuler as an assistant para-educator and a coach for the district.
According to the affidavit, investigators questioned Shuler at the school on May 7th.
Court documents say Shuler did not invoke his right to an attorney or his right to remain silence.
'Pretty dark things'
In the course of the questioning, the affidavit says Shuler said he got into some "pretty dark things" in high school and college, saying he "enjoyed looking at sexually explicit images of children in pubescent/pre-adolescent age."
The document says Shuler admitted looking at "nudist" sites on the internet "in order to view pictures of children under the age of 18 in various stages of undress to include fully nude and engaging with other juveniles in sexually explicit conduct."
"He viewed sexually explicit material of children as young as ten," the investigator wrote.
The investigator wrote that Shuler admitted being "sexually aroused by minors and watching them engage in sexually explicit conduct with each other."
Shuler told investigators he never attempted contact with any children for sexual purposes.
"His sexual attraction to minors is a problem. He knows it is wrong and wants help," the investigator wrote.
Later in the questioning, though, the investigator says Shuler admitted to "conversing with minors regarding sexual content."
"Within the past year he has communicated online with over 25 minors for immoral purposes and admits there is more than 25 victims," the investigator wrote.
Shuler was adamant that there are no local victims and "denied arranging to meet with any minors for sexual activity."
The investigator said Shuler admitted posing as a juvenile boy or girl when talking to kids online.
The investigator said Shuler admitted trading images of children engaging in sexual acts in order to get a picture or video in return.
Shuler told the investigators he "doesn't want to be viewed as an evil person."
He said he has never done anything sexually with a minor because he "has morals."
Shuler told investigators he communicates with kids through Instagram, Kik, Telegram, Wink, Hoop, Snapchat, Meta and others.
He said most of the immoral communication happened through Instagram and that he initiated the contact.
In regards to the video that triggered the investigation, Shuler told investigators he viewed it several times and that he contacted the boys "and offered sexually explicit images in exchange for their participation in sending him an oral copulation video."
He estimated the boys were between 10 and 11 years old.
Investigators say Shuler cooperated with the investigation and gave them the code to his phone.
Admitting to more crimes
Investigators then served a search warrant at a home in Deer Park where Shuler was house sitting.
That's when they say he revealed even more information.
According to the affidavit, Shuler told investigators he did have sexual contact with two juvenile males.
The first one, the affidavit says, was a teenage boy Shuler met on Snapchat in 2023.
Shuler told investigators they met in the woods near University High School and had oral sex.
He then contacted another 14-year old boy on Snapchat and the two met up at a campground on the way to Newport.
The affidavit says Shuler told investigators the two performed sexual acts on each other and Shuler provided vapes to the boy.
"He thinks he may have provided the phone to second youth to record him performing sex acts on the minor," the investigator wrote. "He has distributed these videos to other people on various apps."
Riverside School District Superintendent Dr. Ken Russell shared basic information about the arrest with families and staff last week.
He told them that, based on initial information, no Riverside students have been identified as victims.
Dr. Russell said Shuler was placed on administrative leave and that the district is working closely with investigators.
Shuler is being held in the Spokane County Jail on the following charges: dealing in depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
'Clear and imminent threat to the community'
After a weekend in jail, Shuler faced a judge Monday.
Prosecutors wanted his bond set higher than the $25,000 that was set upon Shuler's initial arrest.
They argued that Shuler "presents a clear and imminent threat to the community" and that, with his employment, he intentionally put himself in a position to be surrounded by minors.
Shuler's newly-appointed public defender argued that Shuler has no criminal history and that the charges were "completely out of character."
He argued that Shuler's parents would be supporting him and that bond should remain at $25,000.
Commissioner Eugene Cruz sided with the prosecution, saying "there are high community safety concerns triggered in this particular case."
Commissioner Cruz cited specifics from the affidavit and also said it was most concerning that Shuler's job put him in direct contact with kids who were the same age as the kids he watched performing sex acts online.
The commissioner also noted that Shuler could end up facing federal charges in the case, as the investigation was initiated by the FBI.
Cruz kept Shuler's bond at $150,000.
If he is able to bond out before trial, Shuler was ordered not to contact any minors or be in any areas where they would congregate.
Unless he posts bond, Shuler will remain in jail until his arraignment later this month.
