'Global plea' considered for ex-Granger teacher in federal, state sex cases

Federal and state prosecutors have been working on “a possible global plea” in the case of a former Granger teacher accused of making and sharing child pornography and sexually assaulting young boys.

Senior Judge Ed Shea was told of the ongoing negotiations in the case of Stephen J. Castilleja of Prosser during a hearing this week in U.S. District Court in Richland.

Castilleja, 28, is charged in federal court with six counts for production, distribution and possession of child porn.

Some of the allegations date back to 2007.

One illicit video found on Castilleja’s external hard drive was recorded beneath a desk in a school classroom with other children present, according to court documents.

Castilleja had been a first-grade teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School when the allegations first came to light a year ago. He was placed on administrative leave, then his employment contract was not renewed for the 2016-17 school year.

Castilleja’s federal trial was supposed to start in Junebut Shea granted a defense request to push it out two months. The new trial date is Aug. 7.

In his motion for a delay, Castilleja said he and defense attorney, Alex B. Hernandez, have been discussing the case and reviewing the evidence.

“There are a few other things I have questions about that I need investigated by my attorney, and reviewed with me,” Castilleja wrote.

He also noted that Shelley Ajax recently took over his cases in Benton County Superior Court, and that Hernandez and Ajax need more time to talk about his options.

The two Superior Court cases are following the federal case. There are no trial dates set on the charges of first-degree child molestation, sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of first-degree child rape.

Castilleja has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since last June. He’s being held as a contract inmate in the Benton County jail.

Detectives with the South-East Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force searched Castilleja’s family home in Prosser in May 2016.

Castilleja allegedly disclosed that he had taken pictures of children, and investigators found a video from January 2013 showing a molestation, court documents said.

He knew he had a problem over a 15-year period, yet did not seek help and instead sought work that placed him in a position of trust with young children, prosecutors and documents said.

Castilleja was employed by the Prosser School District from 2009-14, and used to be a full-time staff member — and later an occasional volunteer — with the Prosser branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties.

This story was originally published May 31, 2017 at 6:04 PM with the headline "'Global plea' considered for ex-Granger teacher in federal, state sex cases."