Bend, OR – A former student teacher and assistant football coach at Sherwood High School, Mason Isaiah Dominguez, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of attempted use of a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct and two counts of luring a minor. The sentencing took place on Wednesday in Washington County court.

Dominguez, 25, was working as a student teacher and assistant coach when he began communicating with female students at the school, primarily targeting sophomores and freshmen.

The interactions, which began innocently, soon took a disturbing turn, with Dominguez engaging in explicit conversations and sending sexually graphic content.

Rayne Meisel, Deputy District Attorney for Washington County, explained that Dominguez used social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram to initiate and escalate his inappropriate communications with the students. One conversation, in particular, became increasingly sexual in nature. Dominguez sent videos of himself masturbating, requested explicit photos and videos from the student, and made advances to meet up in person. “His actions were manipulative and exploitative, and they targeted vulnerable minors who trusted him as a teacher and coach,” Meisel said in a statement following the sentencing.

The case was first uncovered after one of the students reported the conversations to authorities. In addition to the criminal charges, the case has raised serious concerns about the responsibilities of educators and the importance of monitoring interactions between students and teachers, both in person and online. Dominguez’s conduct violated not only the trust of his students but also school policies, which prohibit inappropriate relationships between staff and students. He was arrested and later pled guilty to all charges.

In addition to his prison sentence, Dominguez will be required to register as a sex offender following his release.

The case has prompted calls for stronger safeguards to prevent such misconduct, especially in an era where social media platforms play a significant role in the lives of young people. Sherwood High School and the school district have faced criticism for not identifying the inappropriate interactions sooner, though district officials have expressed their commitment to improving monitoring and ensuring the safety of students.

The sentencing serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining professional boundaries between educators and students, especially in digital communications.