Former instructional aide at Muir Elementary School charged with raping young student

SEATTLE -- A former instructional assistant at Muir Elementary School was charged Tuesday with child rape and child molestation for allegedly raping a student multiple times during the 2016-17 school year.

Prosecutors asked that a $500,000 bail be set for defendant Albert Charles Virachismith, 40, of Seattle.

Prosecutors said the crimes took place in one of the school's bathrooms, where Virachismith knew the school rule was that only one student was allowed in the bathroom at the time.

"The defendant raped a ... student in the elementary school bathroom, on multiple occasions, while in the course of his employment as an educational aide," the charging document said.

"The defendant knew that the young victim would be alone and isolated in the bathroom," it added. "The defendant used his authority as a teacher's assistant, along with threats of violence toward the child victim to gain the victim's silence. It was only after the defendant stopped working at the victim's school that the victim felt safe enough to report to their father what had happened."

The charging document noted that during Virachismith's tenure as an employee at Seattle Public Schools, he had access to thousands of children.

"Seattle Police Department is continuing to investigate whether other children suffers sexual abuse at the hands of the defendant."