Charges dropped against teacher arrested for 'sexual misconduct' with 16-year-old female student in Washington state

On Thursday, charges against an English teacher in Vancouver, Washington for alleged sexual misconduct with a student were dropped, due to the expiration of the statute of limitations despite allegations of a pattern of sexual acts with minors that goes back over a decade. In addition to charges being dropped, orders prohibiting contact with minors were also rescinded.

According to court documents, Hudson’s Bay High School teacher Shadbreon Gatson, 43, was arrested on Dec. 20 and charged with sexual misconduct with a minor. Investigators said the girl was a 16-year-old student when the alleged misconduct took place.

KOIN 6 reported that on Monday, during Gatson's first court appearance, Clark County prosecutors said, “The allegations go back to 2013, but we’re also aware of more recent allegations involving another student that happened in 2024. That will be considered in charging in relationship with this case. He also received letters of directions pertaining to interactions with females as early as 2009.”

Prosecutors said that, in 2017, Gaston was reprimanded for allegedly “failing to maintain a boundary” with two other female students.

Vancouver Public Schools claim Gaston was placed on leave on Nov. 8, when the district first learned of inappropriate behavior, but the arrest resulted from a Dec. 2 report filed by the former student.

In 2013, a custodian walked in on Gatson allegedly engaging in sex acts with a 16-year-old student in the school’s band room. The incident was reported to school officials, but both the teacher and student denied it.

Officers interviewed Gatson's alleged victim, who said she came forward now due to the ongoing trauma the alleged incidents have caused her as well as the suspicion that the teacher may have other victims. Additionally, she claimed she originally denied the allegations because Gatson told her to. However, Gatson did receive a disciplinary letter in his file.

The relationship allegedly began after Gatson gave the victim detention and “sexual acts happened at both home and the school,” according to court documents.

KATU reported that Gatson had similar allegations in his school disciplinary record, going back as early as 2009. Additionally, there may be another allegation involving a student in 2024 which police are investigating.

Gatson has other discipline letters in his file, including one in 2017 for failure to maintain a boundary with two other female students. He was placed on leave following the December 2, 2024 report made by the victim to the school and Vancouver police.

Investigators reviewed journals in which the alleged victim described her sexual encounters with Gatson, letters allegedly exchanged between herself and the teacher, the school's internal investigation documents, and interviewed other people who allegedly witnessed intimacy between the two.

Court documents showed that in Gatson’s file, there were additional accusations of misconduct with other female students between 2009 and 2017. Though investigators attempted to interview Gatson about the other alleged incident involving a different victim, he declined to answer questions.

It is unclear if school faculty reported suspicions of child abuse to law enforcement and child protective services or if there was only an internal investigation, even though they are required to do so by Washington state law.