Frank Scaglione was asked to stay off Waukee school property in early 2017

Stephen Gruber-Miller Aaron Young Kim Norvell

The Des Moines Register

Former KCCI-TV meteorologist Frank Scaglione was asked to stay away from Waukee school property in January 2017 because of "inappropriate conduct" with high school students, documents show.

That's more than a year before public accusations emerged that Scaglione, 26, used social media to pursue sexual relationships with boys younger than 18 — accusations that Scaglione vigorously denied Tuesday through a statement from his attorney.

A Jan. 26, 2017, letter to Scaglione from Kirk Johnson, associate superintendent of the Waukee Community School District, says that the district "received a report that you may have engaged in inappropriate conduct with one or more Waukee Community School District students."

"You are hereby no longer welcome on any Waukee Community School campus," the letter says. "If you choose to come to the campus or you are present at any Waukee school activity, you will be asked to leave."

The letter does not specify the inappropriate conduct.

Scaglione is a 2010 graduate of Waukee High School. He owns a house in Waukee. No one answered when a reporter knocked there Monday. Phone messages left with Scaglione on Monday and Tuesday were not returned.

Alfredo Parrish, a Des Moines attorney who said he was representing Scaglione, emailed a statement Tuesday saying that "we will vigorously defend Frank against inaccurate, unwarranted and malicious attacks on his integrity."

"And, we look forward to the opportunity to restore his reputation," the statement said.

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Parrish said social media was being used to stir up an unwarranted firestorm of condemnation.

"These days, the tiniest of slights are responded to with the kind of venom that only the distance and shield of social media offers," he said in the statement. "False, defamatory and scurrilous accusations have become weaponized to perfection, ultimately destroying lives and reputations without consequences."

KCCI officials declined to comment Tuesday beyond their weekend statement that they no longer employed Scaglione.

Scaglione has not been charged with any crimes. Waukee and West Des Moines police departments have said the social media claims are being examined.

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Scaglione founded an advertising agency, Westown Advertising Media, in 2008, and a sports marketing firm, Westown Sports Marketing, in 2012, according to the businesses' websites. Clients of Westown Sports Marketing included Des Moines-area high schools; the agency would provide and enhance venues with video messaging, branding and a digital presence.

The Waukee letter to Scaglione also confirms that the district ended its relationship with Westown Advertising Media in January 2017.

Nicole Lawrence, communications coordinator for the district, said the district severed all professional ties with Scaglione and terminated vendor contracts with Westown Sports Marketing that month. The high school also ended its "School-to-Work Program" relationship with Scaglione's businesses.

Since 2010, the Waukee Community School District has paid $55,770 to Westown Sports Marketing. The last payment was made Dec. 12, 2016. Contracts between Waukee and Westown Sports Marketing were made for football, volleyball and boys' and girls' basketball seasons.

Laura Sprague, director of communications for Johnston Community School District, said the district ended its contract with Westown in November 2016 because its digital operations could be performed in-house.

Since 2012, the Johnston district has paid $11,500 to Westown. The last payment was made April 24, 2017.

The Southeast Polk Community School District ended its services with Westown Sports Marketing after this past high school football season, said Mattia Hansen, community relations coordinator for the district. School officials decided to look elsewhere for similar duties or perform the tasks themselves.

Since 2014, the district has paid Westown Advertising Media $31,070. The last payment was made Sept. 13, 2017.

Other central Iowa districts have used Westown's services; some did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. An Ames school district spokesman said the high school used Westown Sports Marketing a couple of years ago for a single 15-minute video segment to be broadcast at home football games and never had a contractual relationship.

Norwalk Superintendent Duane "DT" Magee said the district is no longer working with Westown Sports Marketing in lieu of the allegations against Scaglione. He said Norwalk recently used Westown Sports Marketing's services this past football season. Additionally, Norwalk has asked to be removed from any promotional materials and on its website, Magee said, and that they are investigating further into their contract.

Half a dozen youths contacted by the Register about their social media posts about Scaglione described him pursuing personal relationships with them over social media, in some cases sending unsolicited pictures of genitals or of his shirtless upper body to Des Moines-area boys younger than 18. Several boys described Scaglione asking increasingly personal questions, including requests to send pictures of their genitals. One boy said he had a sexual relationship with Scaglione for over a year.

Scaglione's Twitter and Facebook accounts were apparently deleted Sunday. On Twitter, he had more than 13,200 followers — in recent years, he had boasted of his prowess in using social media to connect his professional work to young people.

Scaglione had worked for KCCI since 2009.