Florida authorities recently apprehended a former middle school teacher on charges of possessing child pornography on his cellphone.
Ryan Hamil, a 22-year-old, was arrested and faced charges related to possessing explicit materials involving minors, according to records obtained by FOX 35 Orlando. He was taken into custody with a bail set at $2,000.
Hamil had been employed as a teacher at Water Spring Middle School in Winter Garden until he was terminated in late August. Upon learning of the allegations, the school district acted swiftly, notifying parents in a letter on August 25.
The principal's letter stated, "While I cannot discuss personnel matters, please know that I treat all allegations very seriously, and we will collaborate closely with investigators. Law enforcement may contact families to gather statements from students."
As per the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Hamil was questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers following a cruise he took in July. He allegedly confessed to taking inappropriate photos of children during the cruise and purchasing explicit material involving child abuse on the dark web.
According to the arrest warrant, the photos he took focused on the children's private areas.
Hamil not only took pictures during the cruise but also admitted to taking "similar" photos at Winter Garden's YMCA, where he held a part-time position. The YMCA also terminated his employment in light of the allegations.
The YMCA stated in a statement obtained by FOX 35, "The individual in question no longer works for the Y and is restricted from all access to Y programs and locations. We will cooperate fully with authorities during their investigation."
During his arrest in August, Hamil claimed that he had not taken photos of students at Water Spring Middle School. However, upon examining his phone, detectives discovered two explicit images of a preteen.
The arrest warrant noted that the child in the images was unmistakably under eighteen, given her childlike physique and facial features.
Authorities are actively investigating the case, and no further details are available at this time.
Meanwhile in Ohio, a mother and her daughter have been indicted for serious charges, including murder, after the police discovered a newborn baby in the car trunk, wrapped in a trash bag and placed inside a five-gallon bucket. See detailed story here
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