Assistant principal charged with solicitation of a minor

An assistant principal at Porter High School is accused of offering money to a 15-year-old student in return for sex, Brownsville police said.

James Camden, McKinney, 48, was arrested Thursday at approximately 3 p.m., according to a municipal court jail log. He has been charged with online solicitation of a minor with the intent to arouse and gratify, records show. He’s accused of making solicitations through cellular phone text messages.

McKinney was out of jail Friday on bond after posting a $40,000 bond set by Municipal Judge Ben Neece.

According to a criminal complaint, BISD police began investigating McKinney on Oct. 19 after the female student told the school principal that McKinney was sending her text messages soliciting sex for money.

The student was interviewed at the Cameron County Child Advocacy Center and authorities subpoenaed both her and McKinney’s phone records, documents show.

"The text messages were sent throughout the weekend starting on Oct. 16, thus corroborating the child’s victim outcry," the complaint states.

BISD spokeswoman Drue Brown said McKinney was placed on administrative leave from his post at Porter High School on Oct. 20 and has been employed with the district for 21 years.

"Since this is an ongoing law enforcement investigation and a personnel matter, the district can make no further comment at this time," Brown said.

The news of McKinney’s arrest came as a shock to senior Ernesto Medina, who has known the assistant principal during his four years at the high school.

Medina said McKinney was the one person he turned to when he needed help with school issues and would sometimes have lunch together.

"It can’t be McKinney; I don’t believe it," Medina said. "He was awesome with us. We were wondering what had happened to him because he had been gone for a while. Some people said he was sick or that he quit, but never this."