Officers with Wichita's Exploited and Missing Children's Unit say they're currently investigating at least one case they believe happened in Sedgwick County that happened within the last year.
Ark City police say they're investigating three cases, but there could be three others.
If you have any informtion about other victims related to this investigation, you're asked to call EMCU at 316-337-6552 or the Ark City police Department at 620-441-4447.
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In Rick Pendland's last Facebook post, he talked about the weather. That was May 12. A month before the Arkansas City police department started investigating the middle school teacher in several child molestation cases over the last year.
"We believe he fled to avoid prosecution. We understand that he knew that some of the victims, or children he had been with, were up here making the reports,” Detective Mark McCaslin said.
McCaslin says officers questioned Noble “Rick” Pendland, III in Flagstaff, Arizona the first weekend of July because he was listed as a "missing person."
"At that time we had not obtained the warrant, so he was released,” McCaslin said.
The Ark City school superintendent confirmed Pendland was hired in August 2008. His employment ended in May 2010. On April 1, 2010, Pendland writes, "the job door has closed. I guess I am not as loved as I thought."
Pendland mentions he might go back to school to get his Masters, or go back into social work. That worries McCaslin. He says Pendland was also a licensed foster parent.
"It is a concern that he could work somewhere else, assume another identity if he chooses to, and potential gain employment in a place... and potentially start harming children again,” McCaslin said.
Pendland had to pass background checks. Factfinder 12 found the Kansas Department of Health and Environment screens and issues the license for foster homes. Also, the Arkansas City School District conducts background checks with help from the KBI. The police department says Pendland only has a minor traffic violation on his record. Officers say there is still so much more to this case.
"We are not 100-percent sure right now that we have made contact with all of the victims,” McCaslin said.
McCaslin says many of the victims are kids in middle school.
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Previous Coverage
Forty-six year old Noble "Rick" Pendland was employed at the Arkansas City Middle School for almost two years. School officials wouldn't confirm he was fired but say he stopped working there in May of 2010.
Police say the molestation incidents they're investigating started a month later in June. Officials say it could have happened on a school sponsored trip.
"We believe there were school trips and also personal trips as well...We started working it from there and it led to more and more victims," said Mark McCaslin with the Arkansas City Police Department.
Police say there have been a handful of kids that have said they were molested by Pendland. They say this case is especially dangerous because he has a history of working with kids in social services, foster care and education. He was even a foster care parent himself.
"We are concerned that he could move somewhere else, get another identity and gain employment and potentially start harming children again," McCaslin said.
Police believe Pendland fled the State because he was under investigation. His family reported him missing this summer. Authorities did find him in Arizona the first weekend in July, but had to let him go.
"They found him in flagstaff but released him because it was a missing persons entry only, not we hadn't obtained any warrants yet," McCaslin said.
Now police have two warrants for his arrest that include aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child.
