In August 2025, Detective Drew Sinclair went undercover posing as a 13-year-old girl named Claire. After posting a fake ad online, Detective Sinclair began texting with a person who answered the ad, a 42-year-old man named Ross. [music] >> [music] >> Huh? [music] [music] Wow. [music] >> [music] >> Detective Sinclair then sent Ross a fake photo of Clare. This is how Ross responded. [music] [music] Here are huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Ross texted Clare a receipt shown he booked a room at the Comfort in Hotel. He then negotiated with Clare to pay her $700 for the night along with paying for plan B birth control. Detectives traveled to Lake Roosevelt Elementary School where Ross was doing administrative work during a school holiday. >> Hi there. Are you Mr. Ashen Pelter? Hi. >> Are you Mr. Ashenter? >> Yeah. Hi. >> Hey, I'm Detective Hoffman, Sheriff's Office. >> Yeah. Hi. >> Right now, I want to tell you you are under arrest. So, do me a favor. Stand up. Put your hands behind your back for me. Excuse me. >> All right. Now, you're under arrest. >> Okay. >> Here, this is Detective Sinclair right in front of you. >> Yeah. >> He'll explain kind of what's going on. >> All right. >> Sure. >> Um I have reason to believe that you've been in communication uh inappropriate communication >> with a 13-year-old child that lives in >> Okay. >> At this point, Detective Sinclair doesn't yet want to let Ross know it was him posing as Cla. So, he uses a ruse pretending that Cla was real. Apparently, you told her at some point last week that you were going to come meet up with her >> and she um and then you didn't. So, she told her mom that she'd been talking to a teacher. We did some investigation and found out that that teacher was you. >> Okay. >> So, that's why we're here. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Any weapons or anything on you, sir? >> Uh no. >> No. Um, I would like to talk to you a little bit about um, what's been going on. Um, see what your mentality was, >> why you did or didn't show up in Ellensburg. Um, I'm >> I'm relieved that you did not. >> No. >> Um, but um, I would still like to talk to you about that because it is something that she said was an ongoing conversation for quite some time. >> Um, and um, >> and we have all of those text communications between you. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> So, I want to make sure you know that we are recording. >> Okay. Right now, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you can say can be used against you in the court of law. >> Okay? >> You have the right this time to talk to a lawyer, have him present with you while you're being questioned. You can afford to hire a lawyer. One will be appointed to represent you >> before any questioning if you wish. You decide at any time to exercise these rights, not answer your questions or make any statements. >> You understand the rights I read? >> Yes, I do. Uh, no statements. >> No statements. Okay. >> Assuming this is going to be important. We're going to want to take this with you. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. What's the process here? So, like Detective Sinclair said, he he'd like to speak with you, >> but of course, you have the right to not speak to anybody if you don't want to. >> And he's decided not to. >> He doesn't want to make these statements right now. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Um, >> so what we'll do is, um, these guys will transport you back to Ellenford, and you're going to get booked into the Kittas County Jail for communication with the minor for purposes. >> Is there a simpler way to do this? >> Like, how? uh sort of booking and >> well it's a class C felony and we take communications and the potential like you took some pretty good steps towards um wanting to have with a child. >> So that's a big deal to us. >> Um it should be a big deal to you. >> Yes. Yes. >> So I guess I'm I'm failing to understand what how you would like to simplify things. >> Uh it did not happen. So, >> you didn't communicate with a child? >> I never met with her and I never intended to. >> No, I Well, >> okay. I don't want to ask you any questions because you've asked you've said that you don't want to provide a statement right now. Um, I would like to know more of what your version of events and your and your side of the story is. But, um, >> until you decide that you kind of want to wave your mind right and have that conversation, I really can't ask you any questions. Okay. >> Okay. So, I I have to go to Eldenberg. Yes. >> How long is this process? >> Um, you'll go to court tomorrow and then bail will be set. >> They're going to prison. >> Uh, I that's out of my wheelhouse. That's not anything. >> I mean, jail. Do I need to stay in jail? >> Yeah, you'll Yeah, you'll have to see a judge before um you'll have to go to an arraignment or probable cause hearing for the judge to determine that there's probable cause and then he'll set a bail amount. And um basically if you do bail out some criteria that you have to follow and one of them is probably going to be that you don't have any contact with children. >> Okay. >> So you probably won't be allowed back to the school for the foreseeable future. >> Okay. >> At least until your case is adjudicated. >> Is there any way for you know I'm not going to run and I'll show up. Is there any way to not need to go all the way to Ellensburg? >> No, we're going to Ellensburg today. >> Okay. Like I said, I' I've read all of the text communication between you and this child, and >> it's highly inappropriate for any adult to have um with a child, let alone a fourth grade teacher. >> Okay. >> Do you have any more questions for me? >> Uh is it necessary to handcuff me? I'm not going anywhere. >> What would Yeah, right now when we get to the car and you're sitting down, we'll move to the front because it is a long drive and it kind of stuck behind your back, but our policy requires us to have people in our car in handcuffs. But they will be moved to the front of your body. >> Yeah, but we'll move to the front so it's not you're not sitting on them the whole time. >> Okay, let's uh let's head down to the car. >> The search warrant is does include your car. We're going to search >> Well, my students will not be ready for tomorrow. >> Okay. Um the chief's going to contact the superintendent and let them know. [snorts] >> You have my phone? >> Yeah, I do. It's in there. We're going to serve a warrant on it. How far away are you medic there? Cuz she's for union rep. >> I'm going to Ellensburg to be booked. Okay. >> Uh you probably want union rep for service. >> Okay. [laughter] >> Little little shock right now. So I'm going contact my brother. >> And what do you want me to? >> I've been booked. >> Okay. for um inappropriate communications, but I have done nothing. So, >> okay. >> How long is the booking process? >> It depends on how busy the jail is. Typically, pretty quick, though. >> Okay. Can I stay overnight or get released? >> You'll stay overnight. >> Okay. Online communication is want to avoid it. Yeah. Not good. Not good at all. I prefer that way to let's see less people eventually. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'd want the same thing. >> Excuse me, sir. I'm sorry. I've just um I have personal request. If so, okay, please, you know, I'm really sweaty. Is it possible to take off my uh sweater? >> Oh, thank you, sir. I appreciate it. I appreciate it. You guys very professional. I appreciate that. Thank you. >> I'm just sweating in my >> Thank you. I was just sweating a bunch. I was like, should I ask or not? >> No, no problem. >> Thank you. I just sweating a bunch like should I ask? Oh, you're right in the right in the sun. Do you want me to close this back up and try to get the AC going? >> Thank you. Yeah, thank you, sir. >> Ross was charged with communication with a minor for immoral purposes. He was held on bail, but was released after posting the $100,000 bail. He pleaded not guilty to the felony charge in Kittatas County Superior Court, and his trial is set to begin [music] January 14th, 2026. The Kittatas County Sheriff's Office urges anyone with information related to the case to contact [music] them. [music]