Who Is Ian Imamura? Oregon Teacher Arrest

Ian Ikaika Imamura is a 28-year-old Oregon high school choir teacher and football coach who was arrested on July 2, 2026, on felony charges involving allegations of child sexual exploitation, luring, online sexual corruption, identity theft and other offenses. Prosecutors allege Imamura created fake online identities—including accounts impersonating pop star Ariana Grande and teenage actor Walker Scobell—to manipulate students. One student allegedly exchanged more than 13,000 messages with Imamura and the fake personas over approximately a year and a half. Imamura taught vocal music at Central High School in Independence and had previously worked as a student teacher at Sherwood Middle School and Sherwood High School.

Ian Imamura Arrest

Imamura Was Arrested On July 2, 2026. Independence Police arrested the Central School District teacher following an investigation conducted with the cooperation of the school district. [FOX 12] [KOIN]

Imamura Was Booked Into The Polk County Jail. Police identified him as 28-year-old Ian Ikaika Imamura. [FOX 12]

Charges Against Ian Imamura

Police Initially Announced Multiple Felony Charges. Those included luring a minor, first-degree possession of material depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, first- and second-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, computer crime, identity theft, displaying child sexual conduct and tampering with a witness. [FOX 12]

Later Court Reporting Described Eight Pending Felony Counts. FOX 12 reported in September that Imamura was facing eight felony charges, including three classified as major sex crimes under Oregon’s Measure 11. The difference from the original police list reflects the later charging posture described in court rather than a new arrest. [FOX 12]

Central High School Teacher And Coach

Imamura Taught Vocal Music At Central High School In Independence. The school’s staff directory lists him as its vocal music teacher. [Central High School]

Imamura Was Also An Assistant Football Coach. Oregon School Activities Association records list him as an assistant football coach at Central High School. [OSAA]

He Served As The School’s Choir Director. Local reporting described Imamura as Central High School’s choir director and music teacher. [Trammart News]

District Investigation Begins

Central School District Began Investigating Imamura On May 26. The district says administrators started an internal investigation and placed him on administrative leave that same day. [Central School District] [FOX 12]

The District Contacted Law Enforcement During Its Investigation. Independence Police later took the lead on the criminal investigation. [Central School District]

Fake Music Producer Allegations

Prosecutors Say Imamura Told Students He Was A Music Producer. Deputy District Attorney Shannon Clausen told the court that Imamura claimed to have worked with major recording artists. [FOX 12]

He Allegedly Claimed Connections To Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Bruno Mars, Adele And Lady Gaga. Prosecutors say those claims were part of a fabricated professional background Imamura presented to students. [FOX 12]

Fake Walker Scobell Persona

Prosecutors Say Imamura Created A Fake Persona Impersonating Actor Walker Scobell. Court reporting says Imamura allegedly introduced a 17-year-old student online to someone he represented as the teenage actor. [FOX 12]

Investigators Say Imamura Was Actually Operating The Account. Prosecutors allege the student believed she was communicating with Scobell while Imamura secretly controlled the persona. [FOX 12]

The Real Walker Scobell Had No Connection To The Case. Prosecutors said the actor’s attorneys confirmed that Scobell did not know Imamura or the student and had no involvement in the alleged communications. [FOX 12]

Fake Ariana Grande Account

Prosecutors Say Imamura Also Impersonated Ariana Grande. Investigators allege he operated a separate account pretending to be the singer as part of the deception involving the student. [FOX 12]

The Alleged Ariana Grande Persona Helped Reinforce The Fake Actor Story. Prosecutors say the account was used to make the fabricated relationships appear legitimate to the student. [FOX 12]

More Than 13,000 Messages

One Student Allegedly Received More Than 13,000 Messages. Court records reviewed by FOX 12 show the communications occurred over roughly a year and a half. [FOX 12]

The Messages Included Communications From Imamura And The Fake Personas. Prosecutors say the volume and length of the communication were part of what they described as an extended pattern of manipulation. [FOX 12]

Secret Second Phone

Prosecutors Say Imamura Bought A Student A Secret Phone. The student allegedly kept the phone hidden from her parents. [FOX 12]

The Phone Was Allegedly Used To Communicate With The Fake Walker Scobell And Ariana Grande Accounts. Prosecutors cited the device as evidence that Imamura attempted to conceal the communications from the student’s family. [FOX 12]

Second Phone Allegedly Wiped

Investigators Found Another Phone Belonging To Imamura That Had Been Wiped. Prosecutors disclosed the discovery while describing the evidence gathered from his electronic devices. [FOX 12]

Police Are Still Processing Data From Imamura’s Phones. Prosecutors say investigators continue to review electronic evidence and that additional charges remain possible. [FOX 12]

Alleged False Claim About Being In Hawaii

Prosecutors Say Imamura Told The School District He Was In Hawaii. During a Zoom meeting with district officials on the day of his arrest, Imamura allegedly represented that he was out of state. [FOX 12]

Police Say Imamura Was Actually In Oregon. He was arrested in Oregon later that same day. [FOX 12]

Request To Move To Hawaii Denied

Imamura Asked A Judge For Permission To Live With Family In Hawaii. At a July 14 hearing, defense attorney Chris Heywood argued that Imamura had no criminal record and no remaining ties to Oregon that required him to stay there. [FOX 12]

Prosecutors Opposed The Request. Deputy District Attorney Shannon Clausen argued that Imamura’s alleged pattern of deception created concerns that he might not return for future court proceedings. [FOX 12]

The Judge Ordered Imamura To Remain In Oregon. The court rejected the request to relocate to Hawaii while the case is pending. [FOX 12]

Previous Work At Sherwood Schools

Imamura Previously Worked As A Student Teacher In The Sherwood School District. Sherwood Police said he had placements at both Sherwood Middle School and Sherwood High School during the 2022-2023 school year. [FOX 12]

Sherwood Police Asked Former Students And Families To Contact Investigators. Police requested information from anyone who had relevant interactions with Imamura during his time in the district. [FOX 12]

Central School District Response

Imamura Remains On Administrative Leave. Central School District placed him on leave when its internal investigation began and continued the action after his arrest. [Central School District]

The District Says It Is Conducting Its Own Investigation. Administrators said student safety and welfare remain the district’s priority while it cooperates with law enforcement. [Central School District]

Case Status

Imamura Faces Multiple Pending Felony Charges. The case includes allegations involving luring, child sexual exploitation material, online sexual corruption, identity theft, computer crimes and witness tampering. [FOX 12]

Three Of The Charges Have Been Described As Oregon Measure 11 Sex Crimes. Those offenses carry mandatory minimum prison sentences if there is a conviction. [FOX 12]

Imamura Must Remain In Oregon While The Case Proceeds. A judge rejected his request to relocate to Hawaii. [FOX 12]

Investigators Say Additional Charges Are Possible. Prosecutors are still reviewing data recovered from Imamura’s electronic devices. [FOX 12]

The Charges Have Not Been Proven In Court. Imamura remains accused while the Oregon criminal case proceeds.