UPDATE: Resource Officer arrested for Statutory Rape with student in West Plains

UPDATE 6:30 p.m. Nov. 26

The former Sheriff’s Officer has been identified as Rob Pilkington, who had been employed with the Howell County Sheriff’s Office for over 25 years and had been the School Resource Officer for South Fork Elementary for 7 years. 

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following is the original story edited with the new information

West Plains, Mo. – The West Plains Schools and Howell County Sheriff’s Office released notice on Friday, November 26, that a resource officer had been arrested for a sexual offense with a student. 

Rob Pilkington was employed with the Sheriff’s Office and with South Fork Elementary as a resource officer. According to information from the Sheriff’s office, Pilkington had committed a sexual offence with a student, but not a student of South Fork Elementary. The Sheriff’s Office received the information at 10:30 p.m. on November 24 that an incident had occurred with an officer.

Following an investigation, Pilkington was arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 7 p.m. on November 25 and charged with 1st Degree Statutory Rape. He has also been fired from Howell County Sheriff’s Office. 

Howell County Sheriff Brent Campbell issued this statement: “As with all matters that erode the integrity and efficiency of your Office of Sheriff, I want to reinforce to the community that an internal investigation shall be administered in order to discover any potential points of failure in order mitigate such matters. Lastly, as your Sheriff, I have been bestowed the greatest honor, which is to Lead in the service and protection of our community with integrity and transparency that will continue a forged trust.”

The West Plains School District is cooperating in the Sheriff’s Office investigation into these matters. 

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