School Worker Charged with Teen Sex Solicitation

A former Portsmouth Schools employee is facing eight charges that he allegedly used a Portsmouth School Department computer to solicit sex from a less than 16-year-old girl earlier this month.

Kenneth P. Kimber, 34, of 93 Osprey Drive in Portsmouth was arrested on Wednesday after police determined that the former Portsmouth Schools Information Technology section employee tried to solicit sex from the girl between Feb. 4 and Feb. 11, according to Portsmouth Police Capt. Mike Schwartz.

The Portsmouth School Department fired Kimber on Feb. 13 and continues to be fully cooperative with the police investigation, according to Schwartz. The New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force also assisted in this investigation, he said.

In a separate press release, Portsmouth School Department officials said Kimber's activities were uncovered after a tip was received on the Seacoast  Crime Stoppers website. As soon as police had determined that Kimber was responsible for the computer-related crimes, Portsmouth School Department officials acted immediately by terminating Kimber's employment. "The discharge was based on a number of violations of school policy, including the policy concerning internet use," reads the press release.

Portsmouth School officials also made sure all Portsmouth School students were safe. "The circumstances in this case constituted a serious breach conduct that will not be tolerated by the School Department," reads the press release.

Kimber has been charged with three felony counts of certain uses of a computer prohibited, five felony counts of indecent exposure, according to police. Kimber is being held on $5,000 cash and $15,000 personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned in the Portsmouth Court on Feb. 19.

Anyone who may have any information about this case should contact Portsmouth Police Det. Kristyn Rogers-Bernier at (603)610-7529.