Rohnert Park public safety officers today arrested a woman on suspicion of sending lewd material to a boy in Arkansas and possession of child pornography.
Ashley Zimmer, 21, was arrested after the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety was contacted by the Saline County Sheriff's Office in Arkansas.
The mother of a 12-year-old boy found nude photos of an adult on her son's phone and she determined they were from a Rohnert Park resident after comparing pictures on different social media accounts, public safety officials said.
The Saline County Sheriff's Office provided details to Rohnert Park detectives after interviewing the boy Tuesday. Detectives then obtained search and arrest warrants and took Zimmer into custody today.
Zimmer allegedly met the boy on Xbox Live in mid-August, and she and the boy began exchanging photos on social media. Zimmer told investigators she thought the boy was 14 years old because that was the age he gave on his profile, public safety officials said.
Zimmer told investigators she has worked at YMCA programs at Richard Crane Elementary School in Rohnert Park and Penngrove Elementary School in Penngrove, according to the Department of Public Safety.
Crane Elementary School principal Teresa Ruffoni said this afternoon that Zimmer is not an employee of the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District.
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Zimmer denied any illegal conduct with children in the YMCA programs, and there is no evidence other children are at risk based on an interview with Zimmer and information obtained through the search warrant, public safety officials said. The evidence will be examined to determine if other crimes or victims exist.
Zimmer also provided babysitting services for young children through www.care.com, but public safety officials said they does not believe there are any victims as a result of the babysitting service.
