Mere months after receiving her license to practice, a Columbus, Ohio, social worker was arrested by a SWAT team for allegedly having sex with a 13-year-old boy to whom she was meant to be providing mental health counseling services.
Payton Shires is facing a felony charge of sexual conduct with a minor, NBC4 reports.
A judge in Franklin County Municipal Court issued a $500,000 cash, surety, or appearance bond on Saturday, online court records reveal. If she posts bond, Shires has been ordered not to have any contact with her alleged victim. Unsupervised contact with any minor is also prohibited.
Breaking: Social worker, Payton Shires, 24, who previously worked for The National Youth Advocate Program, has admitted to having sex with her 13 year old client on multiple occasions.
Shires has been charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. pic.twitter.com/FSgfHpPajl
— Will (@WillSaveTheKids) October 8, 2023
The mother of the teenage boy called Columbus police after discovering text messages between Shires and her son. In a criminal complaint report, a detective stated that Shires asked the boy if he deleted videos. She wanted to know if his mother had read any of the messages the two had exchanged or if she had seen the videos.
The mom turned her son’s phone over to the Columbus Division of Police (CPD). Investigators obtained a warrant and reportedly discovered on the device a video of Shires and the teenager engaging in sexual acts.
“The boy told detectives they had sex at least twice at different places in Columbus,” the Daily Mail reports.
The mother, with CPD on the line, spoke to Shires on the phone, and the social worker admitted to multiple sexual acts with the child. SWAT moved in and took Shires into custody without incident.
Prosecutors may add additional charges in Shires’ case, CPD said. She will return to court on October 16 for a preliminary hearing.
Shires received her counseling license on June 12, 2023, according to state records. It is unclear as of Friday if she will now receive a possible suspension or be forced to forfeit her license.
Shires previously worked for the National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP), Columbus police said.
The organization “fosters independence through sustainable, family-centered programs and advocacy,” according to its website. It claims to be “an energetic instrument of compassion and change in the lives of children, youth, and families and the systems, structures and practices that affect them.”
“Protecting children is everyone’s responsibility,” NYAP representatives said in a statement to the Daily Mail. “NYAP has reported the situation to Franklin County Children Services (FCCS) and is collaborating with them and the Columbus Police Department on this case.”
In July 2021, Shires wrote on what was then Twitter, “Own a house, have 3 dogs, got engaged, and have a 1 year old all at 21. So proud of these accomplishments.”
“2023 update,” replied one user on X after the scandal broke. “Own a house, 3 dogs, married, have a 4 year old son and in jail for sleeping with a 13 year old. All at 24.”
2023 update: Own a house, 3 dogs, married, have a 4 year old son and in jail for sleeping with a 13 year old. All at 24.
— John Jon (@JonJonJohnst) October 7, 2023
Her account on X has since been deleted.
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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