Redmond Detectives arrested an Oregon elementary teacher on Friday, March 25 for communicating with minors for immoral purposes and attempted rape of a child. The detectives initiated a proactive undercover operation where they used decoy profiles on location-based social networking/dating apps to meet the suspect.
During the conversations beginning in October 2021, 50-year-old Andrew Hammond was told several times that he was communicating with a 14-year-old female. Several months later, he began communicating with a second Redmond detective, whom he believed was 13 years old. He continued to engage in sexually motivated conversations with the investigators, believing they were minors.
Hammond is a fourth-grade teacher in an elementary school in McMinnville, Oregon.
After months of sexually motivated communications, Hammond proposed meeting with the minors at a hotel in Redmond on March 25 to engage in sexual activity. He was arrested after checking into his hotel room. Redmond police executed a search warrant on his vehicle and located additional evidence indicating Hammond was planning to engage in sexual acts with the minors, including condoms, lubricant, handcuffs, and duct tape.
Hammond is charged with four counts of Communication with a Minor for Immoral Purposes, Attempted Rape of a Child in the second degree, and Attempted Rape of a Child in the third degree. He is being held at King County Correctional Facility on $100,000 bail.
“I’m proud of our officers and detectives for their dedication to such an important initiative in keeping our children safe,” Police Chief Darrell Lowe said. “Any time we can take child predators off the streets for such egregious crimes against children is a win for our community. The important message for parents is to monitor your children’s activities on their phones and computers.”
If you or someone you know is the victim of online child sexual exploitation, contact your local police department or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Media Contact:
Jill Green, Public Information Officer
jgreen@redmond.gov
425-556-2627