Webster
By: Andy Kozlowski, Maria Allard | Roseville-Eastpointe Eastsider | Published October 18, 2024
EASTPOINTE — A 26-year-old school security guard has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree after he was accused of having sex with a female student at Eastpointe High School.
It is alleged that on Oct. 15, Darieon Craig Lamar Webster, of Detroit, had sex with a senior at the high school. The charges are 15-year felonies if convicted.
Eastpointe Police Detective Lt. Alexander Holish said the police investigation is complete with all evidence collected. He described the case as “very straightforward” with Webster cooperating in interviews after he was arrested and taken into custody.
According to Eastpointe Community Schools Communication & Marketing Coordinator Caitlyn Kienitz, the Eastpointe High School administration learned Oct. 16 of an inappropriate consensual relationship between the security guard and the student.
Upon learning of the situation, the administration immediately began an investigation, notified law enforcement, and worked with the security company to terminate the security guard’s contract effective immediately. The student’s family also was contacted.
Kienitz said via email that the district’s security guards are employed by a third-party security company and not by Eastpointe Community Schools. She stressed that the district is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive educational environment for its students.
“We would like to express our appreciation to the students and staff who promptly reported their concerns to school administration, enabling swift and appropriate action,” Kienitz said in a prepared statement. “All concerns are reviewed thoroughly and handled in accordance with best practices. Students, staff members, and teachers are only able to remain in the classroom and our schools if they agree to behave in a way that reflects our district values and policies.”
Webster was arraigned Oct. 17 in Eastpointe District Court where Judge Kathleen Galen set bond at $150,000 cash or surety. If released, Webster is to wear a steel GPS tether, have no contact with minors and no internet access. A probable cause hearing was scheduled for 8 a.m. Oct. 30. Webster requested a court-appointed attorney who had not yet been appointed as of Oct. 18.
“This is a serious breach of trust and responsibility,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said in a press release. “When someone in a position of authority abuses that trust, it harms not only the victim but the entire community.”
Holish said there are a number of options available for those in sexually abusive situations. One can anonymously request resources and advice by calling advocates at the 24-hour hotline for Turning Point Macomb at (586) 463-6990. The nonprofit specializes in matters of domestic violence intervention but can also assist in other forms of abuse.
Alternatively, one can always call central dispatch at 911 or the Eastpointe Police Department directly at (586) 445-5100. One can also visit the Police Department at 16083 E. Nine Mile Road in Eastpointe.
He noted that the school resource officer at Eastpointe High School maintains an open door policy and is always available for private discussions with students, as well.
Parents and guardians can also help by discussing these matters at home.
“It’s always good to talk to your kids at home about these things and to be open with them and have that trust of doing the right thing,” Holish said. “You want them to be comfortable confiding in you as a parent.”