School Psychologist Arrested for Child Porn Charges

School employees are in a position to help children, not hurt them. Unfortunately, some people take advantage of their authority in order to engage in sexual crimes against children.

Case in point: a South Florida school psychologist. The 62-year-old man, who worked with children with special needs, was recently arrested on child pornography charges.

Miami-Dade police received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children claiming that the psychologist was allegedly possessing and distributing child porn images. The tip was submitted by Instagram on May 25 and alleged that the man had distributed two videos that contained child sexual abuse material.

One video showed two naked children around the ages of 10-12 years old engaging in sexual acts. The second video showed four nude boys between the ages of 8 and 12. Two were sleeping, while the other two were performing sexual acts. There were also several thumbnail images of children ages 6-12 engaging in sexual acts.

Police executed a search warrant at the man’s home. When police arrived, they broke down the front door while the man had barricaded himself in a bathroom. He attempted to hide in there and when police went to handcuff him, he resisted arrest

Police searched the home and found that the man had distributed two videos of child sexual abuse material to more than 50 people online.

The man was evaluated at Jackson South Medical Center. He was then taken into police custody and placed in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami. He faces multiple charges, including five counts of child pornography, two counts of sexual performance by a child, and one count of resisting arrest without violence.

The man later appeared in Miami-Dade bond court with visible injuries. He was wearing a safety smock. The judge set his bond at $28,000, placed him on house arrest, and ordered him to wear a GPS monitor.

The man was ordered house arrest due to the fact that he had recently had contact with students who’ve graduated and have special needs. The judge ordered the man to not use the internet except to contact his lawyer. She also issued a no-contact order prohibiting him from communicating with anyone under the age of 18. The man’s Instagram account has since been removed from the internet.

It is unknown exactly where the man was employed, as Miami-Dade County Public Schools refused to disclose. However, he worked for the system and was assigned to various schools.

 Contact a Legal Professional for Help

School employees are seen as trusted individuals, so it can be devastating to find out they sexually abuse children or view child porn. Those who are accused of these crimes may be badmouthed and even ostracized in the community.

If you are in this situation, know that you have legal rights. A Florida child pornography lawyer from the Law Offices of Gilbert A. Schaffnit can provide you with a solid defense so you get a favorable outcome. Fill out the online form or call (352) 505-1799 to schedule a consultation.

Source:

local10.com/news/local/2024/08/13/south-florida-school-psychologist-faces-child-pornography-charges-police-say/