Graphic emails describe teacher, scoutmaster's child sex pursuits (updated)

A technology teacher at Hillcrest High School and scoutmaster in Conecuh County is the subject of a federal complaint on multiple charges related to traveling overseas to engage in sex with minors over an extended period of time. According to the complaint (below), Clarence Edward “Bud” Evers Jr. is employed as a technology teacher through the Conecuh County Board of Education. This afternoon, he was listed as a “Computer Rep” under the staff directory on the Hillcrest High School website.

Clarence Edward “Bud” Evers, Jr.

In December 2014, an agent with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Mobile received a complaint from an attaché in Bangkok regarding the sexual abuse of a Thai minor by a Western male. The suspect, subsequently identified as Evers, became the focus of a large scale investigation utilizing interviews, records requests, subpoenas, search warrants and more, to determine he traveled to Thailand during the summer months at least since 2002 for the purpose of engaging in sex with underage male partners.

At a press conference this afternoon alongside representatives of ICE, the Conecuh County Sheriff’s Office and the Child Advocacy Center, U.S. Attorney Kenyen Brown praised the international investigation, but pleaded to anyone with more information about Evers’ local activities to report them locally.

“At this time we have no direct evidence there were local victims of Mr. Evers however, given the long period the criminal activity that is alleged … there may be people out there in the public with information about Mr. Evers activities. There may also be local victims who have not come forward to report his criminal activity against them.”

A search warrant issued at Evers’ home at 301 Perryman St. in Evergreen last April uncovered a “significant number of computer systems, hard drives, and loose digital media storage devices, along with travel records, passports, financial records, and photographs of young Thai males.” The complaint continues to explain that “Evers accessed and downloaded images of child pornography and images of child erotica with young male victims, and a substantial amount of digital photographs of young Thai boys in various states of undress.”

Among the other evidence seized from Evers were emails to individuals identified only as “B.D.” and “D.L.,” — some delivered from an IP address registered to the Alabama K-12 school system — in which the writers apparently exchanged child pornography over the Internet and casually discussed their escapades abroad, sometimes using coded language.

The messages became increasingly graphic over the next four years, as Evers discussed targeting boys younger than 13 and sexually abusing more than one boy at a time. Perhaps more disturbingly, Evers indicated he was becoming sexually attracted to two of his own students and said he wanted to photograph them:

“As for me, for all the years I’ve been teaching, I’ve never had anything even remotely ‘tempting.’ Until this year. This year has brought a couple of 9th graders that are very intriguing. One is very much a puppy — comes tumbling in at break every day to give me an update on his life and pester me with bizarre questions. Just turned 15, but looks all of 12 …” Evers wrote on Dec. 12, 2011. “The other is a tall, very darkskinned (but Caucasian) broody thing whom I have yet to chat with, but is *very* easy on the eyes. Discretion is, of course, the word of the day, but it’s always nice to have something brighten one’s day. I’m awaiting the right time to grab a couple of pix (big surprise, huh?). In the meantime, I’m enjoying the wind-down to Xmas break ….”

Superintendent Zickeyous Byrd of the Conecuh County Board of Education called after this story was initially published to confirm that Evers was arrested this morning and had been placed on administrative leave pending further investigations, but a personnel report from a meeting last August indicates he was temporarily assigned to the Board’s central office effective Aug. 6.

Byrd couldn’t offer many details, but said, “we are cooperating fully with law enforcement officers in whatever way we can and as soon as we learn more we will keep everyone informed.”

Byrd said Evers’ computer class was offered to juniors and seniors at Hillcrest High School, and said he was not aware of any allegations of abuse between Evers and his students.

Conecuh County Sheriff Randy Brock urged anyone who feels they have had inappropriate contact with Mr. Evers to call an investigator at 251-578-1260.

Evers is accused of production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, accessing with intent to view child pornography and foreign travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual contact. He is expected to appear at a preliminary hearing at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow at the John A. Campbell federal courthouse in Mobile. If a judge finds probable cause, the charges will be sent to a grand jury for formal review.

This article originally described the complaint as an indictment. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Mobile has since clarified that the charges against Evers have yet to be heard by a grand jury.