Rock Ridge High School employee arrested for allegedly soliciting a minor in Georgia

An employee with Rock Ridge High School is in custody for allegedly soliciting a minor and is being investigated for other alleged crimes.

Christopher John Chad, 51, was taken into custody Tuesday for a felony warrant out of Fulton County, Georgia, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office said they had been investigating Chad since March 5 after receiving a cyber tip about possible child exploitation.

Authorities said tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted them to the solicitation of a minor who lived in Georgia and a person receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Through the investigation, it was discovered that the suspect in both tips lived in Eveleth and was employed by Rock Ridge High School.

The next day, law enforcement executed search warrants in Virginia and Eveleth and collected multiple items of evidence. No arrests were made until Tuesday when Chad was taken into custody for a felony warrant out of Georgia.

Chad was placed into custody at the St. Louis County Jail and is pending extradition to Georgia, where he has been charged with “obscene internet contact with a child.”

The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says they also have an investigation open involving Chad for receiving child sexual abuse material that is unrelated to the Georgia case.

Chad, who was previously the dean at Rock Ridge High School, was placed on administrative leave on March 7, a day after he was questioned by law enforcement.

On Wednesday, the school district released a letter to families stating he would not be allowed back on district property as the legal process continues.

Law enforcement said no student or local member of the community is believed to have been a victim of Chad’s alleged crimes. The school district said, however, that some of the alleged actions may have happened while Chad was on school property.