Police in northeast Oklahoma say a former Eagletown School District teacher has been arrested for seven felonies, including child pornography.
On Oct. 6, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) obtained a warrant for Ian Highful, a former Eagletown School teacher. MCSO detectives performed an extensive investigation due to allegations of former students alleging misconduct by Highful.
Once the warrant was obtained, MCSO contacted Clute, Texas investigators; Highful was immediately taken into custody.
Highfil has been charged with one count of aggravated possession of child pornography, five counts of child exploitation, and one count of indecent exhibitions.
McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy told the media the charges date back about six years when Highful was a teacher in Eagletown. Investigators were working off of tips from students, and reportedly discovered thousands of images of child porn on Highful’s cellphone.
Investigators then began trying to identify if any of the victims were local.
Highful eventually made bail, left Oklahoma and moved to Texas.
Officials in McCurtain County say so far, they believe they’ve identified five local victims, one that took his life by suicide in 2021 years after being a victim of the alleged crimes
The teen’s mother says her son's suicide was a direct result of the abuse, and came after years of "personal torment, anxiety, and pain". The mother said Highful would encourage the victim to send nudes of himself to receive better grades in class. She added that Highful, according to her son, would show up at parties attended by Eagletown students and give them alcohol.
She says on one occasion, her son told her soon after he was given alcohol by Highful, his body began going numb and he eventually passed out. She says her son woke up the next day showing physical signs of sexual abuse.
Highful is currently awaiting extradition back to Oklahoma to face charges. His bond has been set at $1 million.
