VERNON, CT (WFSB) — A longtime teacher and coach at Rockville High School has been charged with taking voyeur photos of students and possessing child pornography.
Christian Stevenson.
Christian Stevenson, 52, of Vernon, was arrested on October 18 on three warrants.
Stevenson was taken into custody at a regional hospital, but police did not explain why he was there.
According to the warrant, Stevenson resigned in mid-September from Rockville High School, where he took most of the photos.
He lived there for 22 years where he taught social studies and was a golf coach.
The investigation began after police received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Yahoo! Inc. Email Accounts.
Police said a search warrant was issued at Stevenson’s home in September.
A digital forensic examination of the confiscated items led investigators to believe that the suspect had child pornography and voyeur images.
The warrant said investigators looked at what appeared to be his iPhone and images taken inside the school. Many of the pictures were email attachments. In particular, he identified Stevenson’s classroom, hallway, and library.
The documents stated that the focus of several photographs were the buttocks, chest or vaginal areas of young female students:
It did not appear that any of the students had any idea that they were being photographed or recorded. Some of the photos/recordings appear to be of Stevenson sitting at a desk, while others are walking behind the students in the hallway. I saw pictures of students at school sporting events that appeared to be taken in secret.
Police said some of the dozens of photographs taken were of two girl students, one of whom was just 15 and 17 at the time.
NCMEC flagged 48 images that went through Stevenson’s email account. The warrant revealed:
All images depict young girls, many of them in apparently pre-puberty, sexually suggestive poses and revealing clothing, either partially nude, or completely nude. There were several pictures that appeared to be of the same girl, who appears to be around 12 years old.
None of the children in those photos appear to be linked to the children taken at the school.
Police booked him for importing child pornography, second-degree illegal possession of child pornography, eight counts of voyeurism, nine counts of disorderly conduct, four counts of snooping with a child under the age of 16, and one count of injury. Charged with four counts of exposure. Minor.
Stevenson is being held in lieu of a $300,000 court-set bond and has a court date of October 18.
Following news of the arrest, Vernon Public School superintendent Dr Joseph Macri gave a statement:
The safety and well-being of our students and employees is our top priority. Vernon Public School expects all staff to strictly adhere to the district’s high standards of professional conduct and code of conduct.
On September 15, 2021, Vernon Public Schools were notified by the Vernon Police Department that Rockville High School teacher Christian Stevenson was the subject of a police investigation. Upon learning of this information, Vernon Public Schools took immediate action and placed Mr. Stevenson on administrative leave. Mr. Stevenson resigned his job the same day and is no longer an employee of Vernon Public Schools.
The investigation is ongoing and the District is working in collaboration with the Vernon Police Department. Due to the ongoing police investigation, further inquiries should be forwarded to the Vernon Police Department.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to contact Vernon Police Detectives at 860-872-9126.
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