Pierce Eller, 41, a janitor at a Kingman-area school employed through a third-party contractor, was arrested Tuesday. He is accused of soliciting a family friend — a teenage girl — for nude photographs of herself in exchange for a vape pen. According to investigators, the girl later shared Eller's contact information with friends, who then reached out to him on social media. Eller allegedly provided at least four teenage girls with vape pens and alcohol in exchange for nude photos.

On Thursday, the sheriff's office announced the arrest of Ronald Bowman, 57, who is accused of receiving the photographs. Bowman was listed as a physical education teacher in the staff directory on the Manzanita Elementary School website and had worked in the district for 24 years, officials said.

Both men were booked into the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility. Bowman faces nine counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Eller faces four counts of luring a minor, 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and four counts of commercial exploitation of a minor. All are felonies.

The Kingman Unified School District said in a statement on Facebook that Eller was employed by a third-party contractor and that Bowman "was terminated effective immediately."

Kim Small, CEO of the advocacy group Signs of Hope, said the case highlights the dangers of online grooming and the importance of community awareness.

"It is a horrific crime, but we want to make the community aware that it is happening," Small said. "Unfortunately, if a predator knows that you'll send the nude photos, then they'll ask for more. And the ask will become elevated. It could be — meet me somewhere and do certain sexual acts."

Small emphasized that victims should not be blamed. "It isn't that they hit send; they're being preyed upon, and they're being groomed," she said. "Unfortunately, we're trying to stay one step ahead of our kiddos, but predators are staying two to three steps ahead."

She urged parents and community members to watch for warning signs and to report suspicious behavior. "What we want is awareness, and we cannot do enough to bring awareness to these horrific crimes," Small said.

The arrests have shaken the small Mohave County community, where the school district serves thousands of students. The case raises questions about how a contractor employee and a longtime teacher could allegedly engage in such conduct without detection, and whether background checks and oversight are sufficient.

Signs of Hope provides support for victims of sexual exploitation. Anyone in need of help can visit the organization's website at sohlv.org.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out additional arrests or charges.