CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Parents in Chesapeake want answers after they said a registered sex offender was on school property.
Chesapeake
Registered sex offender arrested by VSP as PTA president wife steps down
Ryan Earley pleaded guilty to indecent liberties with children years ago. He's now married to a PTA president in Chesapeake Public Schools.
But state police said it's still against the law for a tier three registered sex offender to be on school grounds without special permission.
A group of Chesapeake parents, who didn't want to be identified out of safety concerns for their children, said they were shocked to find out that their kids had been around a registered sex offender.
"Already we are worried about a million other things. We shouldn't have to worry about a sex offender entering our schools," said one Chesapeake parent.
The parents shared photos with News 3 and said the images confirm Earley was on Chesapeake school grounds in the last few years.
"He's been at the school on multiple occasions and there's documented pictures that have now been removed," said a second Chesapeake parent.
"It was never disclosed. So if they're okay with not disclosing things and pushing the line more and more because the crime happened so many more years ago, what else have we missed," said the first Chesapeake parent.
Court records show Earley pleaded guilty in 2011 to multiple charges including an indecent liberties charge. In that case, the Bedford County Sheriff's Office reported that Earley, who was 24 at the time, proposed sex with someone he believed to be under age 15.
His conviction made him a tier three sex offender, which is the most serious level of offender in Virginia. By law, tier three offenders are required to register as sex offenders for life.
Tier three offenders aren't supposed to be on school property during or after hours according to Virginia Code § 18.2-370.5.
News 3 reached out to state police for more clarity. A spokesperson for state police responded, "unless there's a court order the answer is no" to sex offenders being on school grounds, even after hours.
Earley declined to comment publicly on the recent accusations.
Chesapeake Public Schools spokesperson Chris Vail explained during the school day, all visitors are screened through the security vestibule through Raptor, a system that checks the visitor's government-issued ID against the sex offender registry.
"Should a registered sex offender attempt to enter any of our schools, we are immediately alerted and take action," stated Vail.
But what about after hours?
"At school-related or school-sponsored events that occur after hours, administrators and school staff are present to monitor the event and alert authorities should a known registered sex offender be found on school grounds," Vail's statement continued. "Chesapeake Public Schools is committed to working closely with parents, community organizations, and law enforcement to maintain a safe and secure school environment. We firmly believe that a safe school environment is built on the foundation of trust, communication, and collective responsibility. Together, we make our schools safer and more secure for the benefit of our students and the entire community."
Chesapeake Public Schools did not immediately respond to News 3's request for clarity on the screening process for after-school events, but recognized the claim that a registered sex offender was on school property after-hours saying, "once alerted, we immediately notified the Chesapeake Police Department and sent a no trespass letter to the offender."
The Chesapeake parents said they're concerned.
"We need further checks and further explanations of the tiers of the sex offenders," said a third Chesapeake parent.
"We need protocols for when statements are made," said the first Chesapeake parent.
"We're not blaming the wife for the husband's actions. We're not trying to attack her, we don't want her children being bullied. And we don't want anyone coming after our kids," added the first Chesapeake parent.
Still, some parents think the PTA president has a conflict of interest and started a petition asking her to step down.
State police said they are aware of the complaint of Earley's presence on school grounds. They said once an investigation is complete, they'll consult with the local Commonwealth Attorney to determine if charges are warranted.
