A Waukegan art teacher from Libertyville has been charged with possession of child pornography that he allegedly downloaded from his classroom computer at Juarez Middle School.
Joshua Rich, 53, was arrested Wednesday after the district received information regarding suspicious computer activity and school administrators contacted police, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Rich has been with Waukegan Public School District 60 for about 13 years, officials said. He was arrested when no children were present, said District 60 Superintendent Donaldo R. Batiste, and no student is believed to have been harmed.
Rich has not been fired or suspended, but school officials are meeting Thursday to discuss the arrest, Batiste said.
He bypassed the school's web filter by using his own flash drive with its own web browser, police said. Investigators confiscated the flash drive and discovered a video containing child pornography on it, according to police. Rich denied any wrongdoing involving students, police said.
Waukegan Police Chief Daniel Greathouse called the alleged actions "revolting" and "despicable." He said there was no information to suggest Rich had victimized any school children, but that the investigation is ongoing.
Charged with a felony count of child pornography, Rich is being held in the Lake County Jail on a $100,000 bond, according to police.
