Two men face felony charges after a phone was hidden and then discovered at Columbus High School. According to the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office, 23-year-old Coletrane Alan Sipes who was a substitute teacher is charged with one count of stalking involving a person under the age of 18 and utilizing a technological device while committing stalking, a class C felony. Sipes’ stepfather, 50-year-old Curtis Canny was arrested on seven counts of purchase or possession of child pornography, each count is an aggravated misdemeanor.
An employee of the school district found a small cardboard box painted to blend in with a hidden cellphone and charging battery inside the school on November 21st. The devices were immediately given to law enforcement. The owner was identified as Sipes. Two days later a search warrant was executed on Sipes’ Columbus Junction residence. Officials seized multiple mini-cameras and electronic devices for analysis. Following a three-month investigation, search warrants, and multiple interviews, it was determined that Sipes was taking photos and videos of a specific juvenile female student. This occurred both at the school and outside of the school, without her knowledge or consent. It was determined Sipes was “engaging in conduct directed at the student that would cause that person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened,” and that he knew a juvenile student would feel such if a male teacher conducted such behavior.
The student and her parents were notified of the situation to ensure her safety. No other students were involved.
A cell phone belonging to Canny was one of the devices seized at Sipes’ residence. Authorities found several explicit images of juveniles that appeared to be downloaded from the internet. No juveniles on the phone were Columbus School District students. The investigation into Canny is ongoing.
A preliminary hearing for Sipes has been scheduled for February 21st. A waiver of preliminary hearing was filed for Canny on February 8th. Both men have bonded out of jail.
The Columbus Community School District shared the following in a statement, “…The District immediately terminated his ability to serve as a substitute teacher in the District. The District has continued to cooperate with the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office and Mr. Sipes has not been on school grounds and has not had access to students on school grounds since the discovery of the box and devices. Student safety is a top priority for the District and the District will continue take action to provide a safe environment for its students, staff members, and the public.”