School teacher charged with computer crimes, child pornography in Los Angeles
An elementary school teacher is facing child pornography charges in Los Angeles, the Times reported.
Such charges can be devastating. Job loss, loss of reputation and the estrangement of friends and family frequently result. More than many other types of charges, you are deemed guilty until proven innocent and a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney will need to move aggressively on all fronts in the fight for your freedom and your reputation.
Additionally, the consequences of sex-offender registration can haunt you for years to come, requiring that you register with authorities or face additional legal problems, and in some cases even requiring that your neighbors be individually notified of your presence in the community.
In this case, the 53-year-old Carson elementary teacher is accused of posting and distributing pornography over the Internet and has been placed on unpaid leave as he faces the charges in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The advent of the Internet has seen an explosion in such crimes. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that more computer crimes originate in California and Florida than anywhere else in the nation. When it comes to child pornography, there have been documented cases of computer viruses and file-sharing networks being responsible for the presences of illicit images on a computer. Additionally, other users, including teenagers, may have been responsible for images found on a homeowner's computer.
The L.A. Unified's Dominguez Elementary teacher was home when a search warrant was served on his computer. Police say he admitted to downloading and viewing images of child pornography. Police seized several computers and DVDs from the residence.
He is charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one county of child pornography.
A defendant facing charges involving sex crimes in L.A. or the surrounding area should not speak to investigators and should instead seek out the assistance of an experienced defense attorney as soon as possible -- even before charges are filed. Whether the defendant made an admission in this case will be for the court to decide, certainly whatever statement he did make is being characterized by law enforcement as a confession.
Exercising your right to remain silent is a good first step toward building a defense.
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