Northwest Iowa teacher arrested for sexual exploitation, grooming of 17-year-old student

PRIMGHAR, I.A. (Dakota News Now) – A South O’Brien School District teacher has been arrested following an investigation into allegations that she exchanged sexually explicit Snapchat messages with a 17-year-old male student from a neighboring district.

Priscilla Jenness, 37, was arrested after the South O’Brien School District received a report from a mandatory reporter that Jenness had been sending messages to an underage student.

The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office conducted a month-long investigation after the report, including search warrants for social media records and cell phone data and interviews.

According to police, no physical contact between Jenness and the student is alleged; the incident appears to have occurred online.

Jenness turned herself in to the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office after a warrant was served for her arrest. She was charged with Sexual Exploitation by a School Employee, Grooming, and Dissemination and Exhibition of Obscene Material to a Minor.

Jenness posted a bond of $11,000 on September 5.