> Pasco County elementary school teacher arrested on child porn possession charges
Pasco County elementary school teacher arrested on child porn possession charges
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A Pasco County elementary school teacher is facing multiple charges for possession of child pornography, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
The attorney general confirmed that Joseph Watson was arrested after an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.
Watson is a music teacher at Oakstead Elementary School, according to school leaders on social media. He reportedly has more than 25 years of experience teaching music to elementary and middle school students in Florida.
Uthmeier said Watson is also a leader in a local church choir and was involved in the church’s summer youth program.
"It’s hard to find a more depraved example of someone who betrayed the local community's trust than Mr. Watson. My prosecutors will bring down the full weight of the law on this predator," the attorney general wrote in a post.
Pasco County School Board member Jessica Wright said Watson's charges "are not connected to the teacher’s role in Pasco County Schools." She added that law enforcement "acted immediately" to ensure Watson has no further contact with students.
FDLE is set to provide more details on this case at 2 p.m. Tuesday. 10 Tampa Bay will stream the news conference online and on 10 Tampa Bay+.