CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A registered sex offender in Chesapeake was arrested on Thursday, Virginia State Police confirmed. Ryan Earley, 38, is accused of entering school property, an incident police began investigating last week.
Ryan Earley was classified as a tier III sex offender in the Virginia registry, meaning he cannot be taken off the list. The spokeswoman for Virginia State Police said he is behind bars at the Chesapeake Correctional Center without bond.
His arrest comes after Quiana Earley, who community members identified as his wife, stepped down as Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president for two schools. Some community members called for her to do so.
An online petition, signed by more than 200 people, called for her removal as the PTA president for Greenbrier primary and intermediate schools.
“I am no longer on any board so there is no need for any petition and that is my comment," Quiana Earley wrote in a message to 13News Now.
The president of the Virginia PTA also confirmed that Earley resigned from her position. Although, it's unclear to us exactly when she decided to step down.
The petition, which was created on Change.org on Sept. 12, alleged that Earley is married to a tier III sex offender. It also expressed concern over "the presence of someone associated with such serious criminal offenses within school leadership" and questioned the PTA president's "ability to make sound decisions in ensuring student safety."
A concerned parent who reached out to 13News Now expressed similar concerns, identifying the PTA president and her spouse and claiming they both have attended school-related events where children are present after instructional hours. The parent also shared a picture that appears to show them both inside a school building.
"I feel like I was violated, because I can't protect my child properly if I'm not in the know about everything," another concerned parent told 13News Now. "We don't need a sex offender's wife to be president of the PTA of two different schools."
A recent flyer sent home with students of Greenbrier Primary School lists Quiana Earley as the PTA president, which matches the name provided by multiple parents. A background check of public records connects her with Chesapeake resident Ryan Earley as a spouse.
Ryan Earley is listed on Virginia's Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry as a tier III offender.
Online records for Virginia Beach Circuit Court show Ryan Earley pleaded guilty and was convicted in 2011 of taking indecent liberties with a child and twice using a computer to solicit sex from persons under the age of 15.
In Virginia, tier III sex offenses are the most severe. Among other restrictions, offenders of such crimes are prohibited from being at elementary or secondary schools, as well as school-related or school-sponsored activities.
Anyone with information about Ryan Earley or the incident of him at the school should call Virginia State Police at 757-387-0961 or email questions@vsp.virginia.gov.