Jeremy Peter Williams, a 50-year-old former high school principal from Longview, Washington, was sentenced to 61 months in federal prison on February 23 by Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Thad Scudder. The sentencing follows Williams' guilty plea on January 12 to charges related to the possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This conviction comes after Williams had already been removed from his position as principal of Rainier Junior/Senior High School in Rainier, Oregon, over remarks concerning the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
"The safety of our students is our highest priority." — Superintendent Chad Holloway, Rainier School District
Prosecutors confirmed that in addition to\ his prison term, Williams must register as a sex offender for 15 years and serve three years of supervised release after his time behind bars. Judge Scudder's sentence also included $3,000 in court fees.
Williams had a long tenure in the Rainier School District, serving as principal of Rainier Junior/Senior High School for approximately a decade, earning an annual salary of $99,500. Prior to his principalship, he worked as a teacher within the district for 13 years. The Rainier School District serves a community with fewer than 800 students, according to state data.
The investigation into Williams began in August (year not specified in relation to the NCMEC referrals, but preceding his September 2025 arrest), after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) issued multiple referrals. These referrals flagged accounts linked to Williams on platforms suspected of trafficking child sexual abuse material. Detectives subsequently executed a search warrant at Williams' home, seizing various electronic devices, including phones and computers, as part of their inquiry.
During the investigation, Williams admitted to using his social media accounts to engage in "age-based" sexual role play. Court documents indicate that Williams informed investigators he both received and sent child sexual abuse material during these online interactions. According to the pre-sentencing investigation report, Williams further told authorities that he sought out online communities to establish connections through writing erotic short stories featuring children, which eventually led to the sharing of explicit images of minors. The probable cause statement detailed that 31 files found on Williams’ devices were identified as containing child sexual abuse material, with graphic descriptions of the content, including one file involving a 6-month-old child.
Before his arrest on these criminal charges, Williams was already facing scrutiny from district leadership. Rainier School District Superintendent Chad Holloway had previously placed Williams on administrative leave on September 17, 2025, following "comments made surrounding the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk." Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University. Superintendent Holloway communicated to families that the district was aware of "concerns… following a recent comment by an employee… regarding Charlie Kirk," describing the activist's killing as "deeply unsettling" and acknowledging its potential impact on students and staff.
Following Williams' arrest on the child sexual abuse material charges, Superintendent Holloway issued a second letter to families, describing the developments as "very disturbing." He reiterated the district's commitment to student safety, emphasizing close collaboration with law enforcement and the provision of support services for students, including access to counselors and the option for early dismissal for families who deemed it necessary. "The safety of our students is our highest priority," Holloway stated in his communication.
Cowlitz County Chief Criminal Deputy Troy Brightbill confirmed that authorities found no evidence suggesting any students from Williams’ school were involved in the material discovered. Williams was arrested in September 2025 and subsequently booked into the Cowlitz County Jail. At his sentencing hearing, Williams, dressed in a light cream sweater and blue jeans, delivered a softly spoken short apology before being taken into custody.
