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Kirkland Shipley, 48, a Former Teacher and Rowing Coach, Pleads Guilty to Sex Abuse
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kirkland Shipley, a former teacher and girls’ rowing coach at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to sexually abusing a high school student and possessing sexually explicit material of a 17-year-old former high school student.
According to the government’s evidence, the victim was on the girls’ crew team at Walt Whitman High School from 2014-2018. Shipley was her head coach from her sophomore year to her senior year, as well as her history and geography teacher. He began texting the victim about rowing and personal matters, which continued into her senior year. On at least two occasions in May 2018, Shipley picked the victim up in his car and sexually abused her at his residence in Northwest Washington.
The other victim was on the girls’ crew team at Walt Whitman High School from 2009-2013. Shipley was her head coach from her sophomore year to her senior year. He also was this victim’s history teacher during her junior year. Shipley began to message her on GChat more frequently, about rowing and personal matters. A month after her graduation, in July 2013, when the victim was 17 years old, Shipley invited her to his residence in Washington, D.C., and had sex with her.
Shipley was arrested on Aug. 24, 2021. He was released from custody with an order to stay away from all current and former students and athletes. He pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to first-degree sexual abuse of a secondary education student and possession of a sexual performance by a minor.
Shipley will be required to register for the rest of his life as a sex offender. Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2022, before the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan.
The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Burrell and Felice Roggen, with the assistance of Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson and Paralegal Specialist ReShawn Johnson.
Kirkland Shipley, a former teacher and rowing coach, has pleaded guilty to two serious crimes: first-degree sexual abuse of a secondary education student and possession of a sexual performance by a minor.
Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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