BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A Western Washington University (WWU) employee was arrested on campus for charges relating to sending inappropriate messages to a minor.
The university said in a campus advisory statement that University Police responded to a report of suspicious activity outside of Haggard Hall at 4:51 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 14.
Officers questioned two adult males and arrested one of them, identified as 48-year-old John Danneker. Danneker was hired by the university in 2023 as the Dean of Libraries.
He initially faced two charges–a misdemeanor and a felony–of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.
But Whatcom County Prosecutor Eric Richey says his office will not bring any charges against Danneker.
Richey noted that the age of consent in Washington is 16, meaning that any alleged contact between Danneker and the other male, who posed as a 16-year-old, would not have been against the law.
Whatcom County Jail records show that Danneker was released on Tuesday, Oct. 15. WWU says he has since been removed from his position and is on administrative leave as they continue their investigation.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Oct. 15 at 4:42 p.m. with new information from the Whatcom County Prosecutor pertaining to the initial charges of the suspect.
