The principal of Mountain Range High School is charged with child sexual abuse

A Mountain Range High School administrator who allegedly sent sexually explicit photos to a student was charged Thursday in Adams County District Court with two counts of child sexual assault and one count of online sexual exploitation of a child.

Tate Drane, 27, is charged with three felony counts, including sexual assault of a child by a person in a position of trust and sexual assault of a child, the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

Drane was arrested by Westminster police on Monday after Safe2Tell reported multiple reports that he had sent “inappropriate photos to an underage student.”

Investigators determined that Drane sent a freshman girl 13 photos of her face, body and genitals with offensive captions and asked the girl to send back nude photos, an affidavit said.

Drane had attacked the girl in middle school, but she did not report the attack, police said.

Drane is on administrative leave until further notice, Adams 12 Five Star Schools officials said this week.

His next court date has not yet been set.

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