Monroe High School (Monroe School District)

Monroe High School (Monroe School District)

Monroe High School ex-psychologist sentenced for texting girls for sex

Lance Egli was given three months for communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. He had worked at the school since 2004.

MONROE — A King County judge sentenced a former Monroe High School psychologist last week for texting who he believed were minors and trying to have sex with them.

In June 2021, Lance Egli, 51, started talking to a user on a dating application whose age was listed as 19. She repeatedly told him she was actually 14. But the account wasn’t a 14-year-old girl — it was a Redmond police detective who used age-adjusted photos of herself to make her look like a teenager. Egli later texted similar messages to another detective who was posing as a 15-year-old girl.

King County Superior Court Judge Dave Keenan gave Lance Egli three months in jail on July 14.

Egli was a psychologist at the high school since 2004, and was also the special education coordinator.

The school district did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Egli repeatedly said he wanted to engage in sexual acts with the two fake girls, according to court documents.

The school district placed Egli on administrative leave while he faced the allegations. He was not allowed to go on school property, participate in district events or have contact with students.

The former psychologist used the name “Ray,” meeting one of the “girls” on the dating app MeetMe, according to court records. The conversation moved to Kik, an instant-messaging platform.

The Redmond detective wrote it was apparent that “Ray was interested in a romantic and sexual relationship” with the 14-year-old, despite knowing her age. He asked to meet her several times and said they should date. According to court documents, Egli told he he could pick her up after school.

Some of the communication occurred during school hours, according to court records.

Another Redmond officer made a fake account on a dating app in August 2021. Egli messaged the user who was pretending to be 15, prosecutors wrote.

Egli wrote that he wanted to meet the second user, saying he wanted them to be “lovers.” He confirmed he was OK with her being 15.

The defendant sent the user, named “Ella,” a selfie that showed a man wearing a surgical mask inside a vehicle. With assistance from the state Department of Health, detectives used the pictures on his dating profile to identify Egli, according to court documents.

“This is extremely concerning due to Egli’s employment,” police wrote in their report.

In October 2021, Redmond police traced the phone Egli used to send messages to his house near Snohomish and arrested him.

Egli pleaded guilty last month to two counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. Court papers say prosecutors asked for a suspended jail sentence, too.

During an interview with a psychologist, Egli acknowledged engaging in sexual texting “a lot through the pandemic,” according to court papers.

“I didn’t think those profiles were real,” he reportedly said.

Jonathan Tall: 425-339-3486; jonathan.tall@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @EDHJonTall.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

A pedestrian struck and killed by vehicle Wednesday in Everett

The pedestrian was a man in his 60s. The collision happened at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Want coffee? Drink some with the Marysville mayor.

A casual question-and-answer session between mayor and constituents is planned for March 24.

Judge sentences man for role in human smuggling ring

Jesus Ortiz-Plata was arrested in Everett in May 2024. A U.S. District Court judge sentenced him to 15 months in prison.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Devani Padron, left, Daisy Ramos perform during dance class at Mari's Place Monday afternoon in Everett on July 13, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mari’s Place helps children build confidence and design a better future

The Everett-based nonprofit offers free and low-cost classes in art, music, theater and dance for children ages 5 to 14.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

Bill Wood, right, Donnie Griffin, center right, and Steve Hatzenbeler, left, listen and talk with South County Fire Chief Bob Eastman, center left, during an Edmonds Civic Roundtable event to discuss the RFA annexation on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds community discusses annexation into the regional fire authority

About 100 residents attended the Edmonds Civic Roundtable discussion in preparation for the April special election.

Timothy Evans, a volunteer at the east Everett cold weather shelter, with his dog Hammer on Monday, Feb. 10 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Temporary shelter opens in Everett during unusually cold weather

The shelter will open nightly until Feb. 14. Help is needed at the new location, as well as six others across the county.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.