Bethel elementary principal charged with sending sexual messages to an agent he thought was a child

Gladys Jung Elementary School Principal Chris Carmichael was arrested and released into federal custody on Dec. 11. Photo credit Petra Harpak / KYUK)

Federal prosecutors have charged Christopher Carmichael, the principal of a Bethel elementary school, with “attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.” Prosecutors say Carmichael sent graphic text messages to an undercover FBI agent posing as a 13-year-old girl.

Agents began investigating Carmichael last month, after the Bethel Police Department contacted them about his online activities, prosecutors said in a press release Thursday.

Two nights ago, FBI agents from the Child Exploitation Task Force arrested Carmichael, while agents also raided his elementary school office and confiscated his computers. 

Prosecutors allege that Carmichael, in a series of texts to the agent who he thought was an underage girl, detailed several sexual acts he would do to her. He also reminded her that “it was really important they keep referring to her like she was eighteen so that he wouldn’t get into trouble,” the release said.

Carmichael was arrested early Wednesday and has not yet made his initial court appearance. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison, the release said.

Anyone with further information regarding Carmichael’s activities is asked to contact Anchorage FBI at (907) 276-4441.

KYUK reporter Greg Kim contributed to this story.

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