Former SE Iowa teacher convicted of seducing teenage girl

A former high school teacher in southeastern Iowa has been convicted of sending inappropriate messages to a student six years ago.

Zachary Barr, 42, of Ottumwa, will serve two concurrent five-year prison sentences after pleading guilty to enticement of a minor and sexual exploitation by a school employee.

In 2018, Barr, then a sixth-grade teacher at Evans Middle School, sent prohibited messages to a 13-year-old girl.

As part of the investigation, officers took control of the girl’s social media accounts.

Their conversations with Barr became overtly sexual, leading to his arrest. In addition to his prison sentence, Barr must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

(By Ellis Codjoe, KBOE, Ottumwa)