Massachusetts middle school teacher arrested for sending partially nude photos to minor

A Massachusetts middle school teacher was arrested this week after he was caught sending partially nude photos of himself to a 16 year old male on Snapchat.

Jaryd Palmer, 34, of Andover, who has reportedly taught for the school district for 7 years, was arraigned this week in Lowell District Court and charged with disseminating obscene matter to a minor.

He was caught sending photographs of his genitals to the minor on social media after the teen took a screenshot of the lewd photo and showed it to his parents. Palmer’s bail was set at $500 and the judge ordered him to have no contact with minors until his next court date.

“The defendant was arrested yesterday by Tewksbury Police after the parents of a 16-year-old boy reported to police that their son had been communicating with Palmer over Snapchat and that the defendant had allegedly sent him a photo of his genitals,” Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus said in a statement. “The juvenile reportedly asked the defendant not to send him Snapchats of that nature and took a screenshot of the image before reporting it to his parents.”

“This case serves as an important reminder to parents and children that it is critical to have open and honest communication around social media,” Ryan added. “We need to remind our young people that if something is happening online that is making them uncomfortable, feels inappropriate, or in this case is illegal, they need to immediately report it to a trusted adult.”

Palmer is currently employed as a sixth grade math teacher, according to the Robinson Middle School website. He is scheduled to reappear in court on July 1.