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PORTLAND, Ind. — REAL News has learned the now former Jay County Democrat Party Chair is facing criminal charges for masturbating in front of a classroom of 8th grade students at Jay County Junior-Senior High School where he was employed as a Social Studies Teacher.
According to court documents, 37-year-old Joel Bowers is accused of masturbating under his desk during his 6th period class. A 14-year-old girl who witnessed the incident told police Bowers “would not get out of his seat and didn’t tell us to do anything.” The teenager further stated, “There was white stuff on his pants and he would not get up for anything. He had his hand down there and was sweating but it was cold in his room. His hands was down there but when someone went up there he would wipe his hand off with paper towel.”
According to charging documents, during the investigation, Bowers claimed the stains on his pants were from paint.
Charging documents state students took video of Bowers during the masturbation incident, appearing to show him looking at his phone while he was pleasuring himself. During their investigation, police discovered Bowers had also been sharing nude pictures with a 15-year-old girl via the social media platform Snapchat.
Bowers was put on administrative leave from the school in April, when the investigation began. He was charged with Performance Before a Minor That Is Harmful to Minors and Dissemination of Matter Harmful to Minors on October 1st. Police arrested him the following day.
Bowers is still listed as the Jay County Democrat Party Chair, however, according to reports, he has since resigned his position.
The Jay County Jail has refused to released Bowers mugshot. REAL News has filed a public records request for its immediate release.
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