Chillicothe welding instructor arrested for sexually harassing students

CHILLICOTHE, Mo. (KCTV) – A Chillicothe welding instructor is behind bars after multiple allegations of sexually assaulting underage students were reported.

Livingston County, Missouri District Court Records filed Wednesday, Oct. 23, showed that JD Shirley, 55, of Carrollton, a welding instructor at Grand River Technical Schoolwere charged with two sexual contacts with a student.

The Chillicothe Police Department says Chillicothe R-2 Superintendent Dan Vibers reported Monday that an instructor, later identified as Shirley, had an inappropriate relationship with students at Grand River.

Investigators determined that among the five students who reported Shirley’s inappropriate behavior, four of them were minors. Students reported that he was known to touch girls inappropriately and that made them feel uncomfortable in his classroom.

During interviews with law enforcement officials, Shirley denied any sexual misconduct, but admitted that he had been “excessively dexterous” with students in the past. He was arrested and placed in the village Livingston County Department of Corrections.

The Chillicothe School District R-2 said it had launched its own independent investigation into the matter. To ensure the safety of the community, Shirley was placed on an indefinite leave of absence.

“The district administration prioritizes student safety above all else, and in light of the allegations, we immediately shared relevant information with the Chillicothe Police Department,” administrators said. “We are committed to complying with privacy laws and will not share any other information about the staff or students involved.”

As of Sunday, Shirley remains behind bars without bond. A bail hearing was set for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30. No further information was released.