Arizona school janitor accused of trading vapes for teen girls' nude photos

KINGMAN, Ariz. - A 41-year-old Golden Valley man who worked as a janitor at a Kingman-area public school was arrested Nov. 4 on suspicion of trading vape pens and alcohol to teenage girls in exchange for nude photos, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said.

What we know:

Pierce Anthony Eller was booked into Mohave County jail on four counts of luring a minor, 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and four counts of commercial exploitation of a minor. All are felonies.

Timeline:

Detectives learned of the allegations on Tuesday, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators said the exchanges began in February, when Eller allegedly solicited a young girl described by police as a "family friend" to send nude photos of herself in return for a vape. Authorities said there have been about 10 such exchanges with that victim to date.

The girl later shared the information with friends, who contacted Eller through social media, detectives said. Eller allegedly provided vapes and alcohol to at least three more girls in exchange for nude photos. The victims were between 14 and 16 years old.

Eller was employed through a private contractor at the school, the sheriff’s office said. Detectives confronted him at his workplace on Wednesday, where he admitted his involvement, according to the agency. Investigators also found additional evidence on his cell phone.

Teacher Arrested:

Investigators say Ronald Wayne Bowman, 57, was identified as a recipient of the nude photos. Bowman has been a teacher with the Kingman Unified School District for the past 24 years.

Bowman was detained by deputies and investigators say he admitted to receiving the photos. Bowman was booked into jail and is accused of sexual exploitation of a minor.

What they're saying:

The sheriff’s office said none of the victims were students at the school where Eller worked, but it did not name the school.

A since-deleted 2023 social media post from the Kingman Unified School District identified a custodian named Pierce Eller at Manzanita Elementary School. The post said he received the district’s "ABCD Award" after his peers nominated him for going "above and beyond the call of duty." It thanked him "for everything you do," saying the award recognizes employees who show "a special effort, job well done" or "a sensitive and caring attitude toward the needs of the district."

Since then, Eller most recently worked "briefly" at a high school in the district, Superintendent Dr. Gretchen Dorner told FOX 10. She said he was not a direct district employee and that no crimes are associated with any school. "He will definitely not be on campus" after the arrest, she said, adding that he is no longer employed and that the situation was "handled immediately."

Investigators say Ronald Wayne Bowman, 57, was identified as a recipient of the nude photos. Bowman has been a teacher with the Kingman Unified School District for the past 24 years.

Bowman was detained by deputies and investigators say he admitted to receiving the photos during interviews. Bowman was booked into jail and is accused of sexual exploitation of a minor.

What you can do:

The investigation remains active, and detectives said further inquiries are pending. Anyone who is a victim or has information related to the case is asked to contact MCSO's Detective Division at 928-753-0753, ext. 4288, and reference this report number: 26-043796.

What we don't know:

The sheriff’s office did not name the private contractor that employed Eller. Dorner did not immediately have access to his personnel file to confirm every campus where he worked or for how many years.

Mohave CountyCrime and Public SafetyNews