Innocent plea entered for former Kennewick school official indicted on sex charge

The retired Kennewick school superintendent who allegedly flew to the Tri-Cities with plans to “hook up” with two teen girls pleaded innocent Wednesday to a federal charge.

Paul W. Rosier appeared in federal court in Yakima, one day after a grand jury indicted him for attempted child sex trafficking.

During the four-minute hearing, Rosier told Magistrate Judge Mary K. Dimke that he understood the charge against him and his rights.

Rosier, who lives in Olympia, has been out of custody since April 6. He is being monitored by federal probation officials, and must wear a GPS tracking device, stay off the Internet and not travel outside of Washington without prior permission.

Rosier also has agreed to participate in the Crisis Intervention Program and follow any recommended treatment after getting a mental health evaluation, according to court documents.

Rosier left the Kennewick School District in 2006 to work as executive director for the Washington Association of School Administrators in Olympia. He retired in 2014.

He told investigators that he was in the Tri-Cities on business April 1 when he was arrested at the Hampton Inn in Richland.

A criminal complaint shows Rosier exchanged text messages for three days with someone he believed was a 16-year-old girl, but ended up being an undercover Kennewick detective.

The girl had offered up a nonexistent 13-year-old friend when arranging the sexual encounter with Rosier. He initially insisted the girl be of legal age, then allegedly agreed to it and the requested payment for each girl.

Federal agents and Richland and Kennewick police took Rosier into custody as he walked through the hotel lobby intending to meet the girls in the parking lot, the complaint said.

The case has been assigned to Senior Judge Ed Shea, who is based in Richland. Shea will schedule future court dates, including the trial.

Rosier faces a minimum 15 years in federal prison with the possibility of life if convicted of the charge.

This story was originally published April 12, 2017 at 7:11 PM with the headline "Innocent plea entered for former Kennewick school official indicted on sex charge."