Teachers aid busted for child porn

Teacher’s aide indicted on child porn charges

By JOHN SIEVERS Contributing Writer
Published: Monday, August 4, 2008 2:26 PM EDT

LEBANON ‑ A local man was indicted last Thursday, July 31, by a Hunterdon County grand jury on charges that he allegedly had images of child pornography on his home computer.

The man, James Leonarczyk, 39, had been working as a teacher’s aide at Phillipsburg Middle School in Phillipsburg after clearing a criminal background check in 2004.

The indictment charges Leonarczyk with second and fourth degree counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
WTF is this???? Where is the child porn charges? Does this mean the perv doesn't have to register?

He is accused of distributing child pornography between August 2006 and July 2007.

Leonarczyk is also accused of knowingly possessing or viewing child pornography between August 2006 and April 2008, according to the indictment.

Authorities began investigating Leonarczyk last year after getting a tip from the Rhode Island State Police that he might have received child pornography from someone who had been charged with possessing illegal pornographic materials.

Authorities said they had learned through their investigation that Leonarczyk had been involved with another person who had child pornography in Gloucester County, who was also charged.

Using computer forensic technology, investigators were able to gather enough evidence to execute a search warrant.

Leonarczyk was arrested last Nov. 9. Investigators seized several computers in a search of his home, and images of child pornography were found on the computers, according to authorities.

Cleared Background Check
Any school employee must undergo a criminal background check, according to a spokesman for the state Department of Education.
Certain crimes disqualify employment at a school system, according to the spokesman, who was interviewed at the time of Leonarczyk’s arrest last November.
The school district suspended Leonarczyk after his arrest. Last Friday, a spokesperson for the Phillipsburg School District would not comment on Leonarczyk’s status, saying that it was not the district’s policy to comment on personnel matters.