A School Janitor Handed Out Candy To Kids A Few Times A Week, But Officials Say He Was A Sexual Predator

A middle school janitor handed out candy to students, but officials say that was part of his charm to meet and later sexually prey on two teens.

Last week, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office in Pennsylvania announced Rushon Drayton, 23, had been charged with several counts in connection to the case.

On April 10, the mom of a 14-year-old student at Valley Forge Middle School contacted police about inappropriate messages sent to the teen by Drayton, according to prosecutors. The students in the school knew Drayton as “Shawn” and he was the janitor.

The teen told police Drayton became friendly with students over the past several months and handed out candy three or four times a week, according to prosecutors.

The victim told police Drayton talked to her and asked for her phone number.

Drayton and the teen then started to communicate, prosecutors noted. The mom saw some messages that were inappropriate and sexual.

Police learned about a second victim, also a teen, who said she communicated about sexual topics with Drayton. The teen also reported that Drayton gave her a sex toy, marijuana and other gifts.

Investigators found hundreds of sexual text messages and photos sent to the teen by Drayton, according to prosecutors.

“Rushon Drayton preyed upon vulnerable middle schoolers who he groomed over a period of time while working in his job as a janitor at Valley Forge Middle School,” District Attorney Deb Ryan said. We are aware of two victims at this stage in the investigation but believe that there may be others. We urge parents to contact Tredyffrin Township police Detectives at (610) 644-3221 with any information about this case.

“Children deserve to be safe in schools and all adults are responsible to ensure their safety. We continue to stress the importance of reporting suspicious behavior knowing that we all must do what we can to protect our most vulnerable. We thank Tredyffrin Township police for their hard work and swift apprehension of the defendant.”