Sexual Misconduct, Witness Tampering Charges Filed Against Wash. Firefighter

July 07--YAKIMA, Wash. -- A Yakima Fire Department lieutenant has been formally charged with having sex with a 17-year-old student he was teaching at a local school.

Joseph Chinco, 51, was charged Tuesday with first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor and witness tampering, for trying to get her to withdraw her accusation, said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Steve Jackson.

Police said the girl was a student in the fire program that Chinco taught at Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center, where he is no longer listed on the school's website's faculty directory.

Authorities learned of the allegations in late May when the girl's classmates reported seeing text messages on her phone indicating a sexual relationship with Chinco, according to a police affidavit. The girl told police that she and Chinco had sex three times at his home, according to a police affidavit.

According to the affidavit, she said Chinco told her in late June that there were three choices: go to trial, tell detectives she lied about the relationship or he would kill himself, the affidavit said.

Chinco, who has been on paid administrative leave from the fire department since May 29, is being held on $200,000 bail in the Yakima County jail.

Copyright 2015 - Yakima Herald-Republic, Wash.