A former Kentlake High School science teacher pleaded guilty Feb. 10 to communication with a minor for immoral purposes.

Jesse Webb, 46, of Kent, faced a trial date later this year prior to entering the plea. King County prosecutors charged Webb in April 2023. He initially pleaded not guilty.

Among other incidents during a three-month period in late 2022, Webb told a 15-year-old student at Kentlake “that he loved her and wanted to have sex with her,” according to court documents.

“Between Oct. 1, 2022 and Dec. 15, 2022, I communicated with a minor (then 15) for immoral purposes of a sexual nature,” according to a guilty plea document signed by Webb. “That communication was by means of electronic communication. This occurred in King County. (She) was under the age of 18 at the time of the communication.”

Webb is scheduled to be sentenced at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 before Judge Sandra Widlan in Courtroom 4J at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

Prosecutors are recommending a 30-day sentence, according to court documents. His defense attorney agreed with the recommended sentence.

Standard statewide sentencing ranges are set by state lawmakers and influenced by a person’s offender score, according to a Feb. 13 email from Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Generally, offender scores increase with each previous felony conviction.

“Jesse Webb’s offender score is 0, so his statewide sentencing range, as set by state lawmakers, is 1 to 3 months,” McNerthney said. “It will ultimately be up to a judge to decide his sentence.”

Webb was taken into custody after entering his guilty plea, McNerthney said. As of Feb. 13, Webb remained in the county jail at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

A judge also could order Webb into community custody for up to one year after his release from jail, according to court documents. Webb must register as a sex offender with the sheriff of the county where he resides; not hold position of authority or trust involving minors; stay out of areas where children’s activities regularly occur, parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, sports fields; and he must obtain a sexual deviancy evaluation by a state certified therapist within 30 days after release. He must stay away from the victim in the case for at least five years.

Webb initially pleaded not guilty in May 2023. King County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Webb Dec. 16, 2022 at his Kent home. He was booked into the King County jail and released the next day on $50,000 bail after his first court appearance. Webb declined to provide a statement to detectives after his arrest.

According to the April 26, 2023 personnel report from the Kent School District, Webb resigned from the district but is received pay through Aug. 18, 2023. The district removed his name from the online Kentlake High staff directory after his arrest.

According to charging papers, detectives were told that Webb might be acting inappropriately with a student.

Detectives learned that the student would meet with Webb in his classroom after school when she waited for her ride home. They also started to communicate through Instagram. He would tell her she looked “hot” when she dressed a certain way and started calling her “babe” and “cupcake,” according to court documents.

He took the girl on a drive one day and pulled out $700 in cash and told her he wanted to take her to the makeup store, according to charging papers.

Detectives found Instagram conversations between Webb and the student on her phone. Detectives also executed a search warrant on Webb’s residence and seized his iPhone.

“The defendant used his position as a teacher to initiate inappropriate communication (with the student),” according to charging papers submitted by Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Charles Sergis. “This communication occurred outside of school hours and the defendant engaged in grooming behavior. He bought her gifts, commented on her physical appearance, told her he loved her and that he wanted to have sex with her.