Kennewick middle school teacher could face more sex crimes involving students

A Kennewick middle school teacher may be charged with more sex crimes after prosecutors finish reviewing a large stack of additional police reports.

Tonie Ann Reiboldt, 43, is accused of sending sexually explicit photos and videos of herself to at least four male students at Horse Heaven Hills Middle School.

She initially was charged in late June after Kennewick police learned that a sexually explicit video of a woman was distributed to underage children through Snapchat, the social media app.

But since receiving “a giant chunk” of records from investigators, Deputy Prosecutor Megan Whitmire said there may be more charges.

“There is one allegation in particular that I still am very seriously considering filing charges on,” Whitmire told the Herald of her cursory review. “Frankly, it is going to take me at least two weeks to have a chance to go through all of the new stuff and figure out where to go from here.”

Reiboldt, a physical education teacher, was placed on paid administrative leave by the Kennewick School District when the allegations of misconduct surfaced.

She submitted her resignation July 28, and it is awaiting approval by the school board, according to a district spokeswoman. The board’s next meeting is Aug. 17. All personnel actions are handled on the consent agenda.

Reiboldt has been with district since 1997, and at Horse Heaven Hills Middle School since 2003.

While with the district, she has taught math, worked as a substitute teacher and coached gymnastics, track, volleyball and dance.

Reiboldt has been out of custody since posting $15,000 bail following her first appearance on June 29 in Benton County Superior Court.

Her trial is set Sept. 19 on three counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, a felony. Each count includes the aggravating circumstance that she allegedly used her position of trust to commit the crime.

Kennewick police said Reiboldt sent videos to several boys under 16.

One teen told police he had been communicating with Reiboldt since summer 2015. He said she had sent him nude pictures and videos and had asked him to do the same in return, court documents said.

Reiboldt allegedly tried to meet up with the boy to have sex, but he refused.

Detectives then learned about three other boys who reported getting sexually explicit images from Reiboldt through Snapchat.

One teen claimed Reiboldt arranged a sexual encounter with him, but he made up an excuse to get out of it as Reiboldt waited at a park near his home, documents said.

Only one teen said Reiboldt was his teacher. The other students said they knew of her from school.

She allegedly accessed her older son’s Snapchat account to get the contact information for one boy, a reported victim.

The maximum time she could face for the current charges is five years in prison. She has no criminal history.

This story was originally published August 8, 2016 at 5:45 PM with the headline "Kennewick middle school teacher could face more sex crimes involving students."