• 14
  • February
    2012

A teacher's aide faces accusations by federal law enforcement agents that he produced child pornography in a New York classroom.

FBI agents arrested the 40-year-old Brooklyn elementary school teacher after they said they found two digital recordings of child sex abuse on the man's home computer.

The two children said to be in the recordings are believed by police to be current or former students at the school where the man has served as an educator -- respected and well-liked by parents and students -- since 1995.

One mother of a seven-year-old girl at the school described the suspect as "nice" and "genuine."

A grandmother of a child at the school said the teacher's aide worked with her grandson to find positive solutions to problems.

"He always appeared to be very concerned about the children's well-being," she said.

However, the Associated Press reports that after the allegations went public, parents' perceptions of the man changed dramatically.

The man was in addition to a teacher's aide, a group leader in an after-school program at the school.

He was first arrested on child pornography charges about a month ago, but a judge revoked bail last week after the new allegations surfaced.

He had previously been accused of possessing and trading child porn, but now also stands accused of producing it.

FBI agents claim the man admitted during a January raid on his home that "he had been downloading and sharing child pornography for approximately seven years."

The digital videos allegedly found on his computer apparently show him spanking a naked child and touching a child's genitals.

If convicted on the charge of producing child pornography, he could be sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison.

Source: Associated Press: "NYC school-porn case catches parents by surprise," Feb. 8, 2012