Child porn found at San Diego elementary school teacher’s home
A San Diego elementary school teacher was arrested this week on suspicion of distributing child pornography, authorities said.
David Gordon Weaks, 59, a fifth-grade teacher at Rosa Park Elementary School in City Heights, has worked for the San Diego Unified School District for 21 years, according to the district and online records.
Parents at Rosa Parks were notified of Gordon’s arrest on Friday with letters and phone calls from the school. Gordon was arrested Thursday.
In the letter, principal Veronika Lopez-Mendez urged any parents concerned about their children’s interactions with Weaks to contact the school immediately.
A district spokesperson said the district has been cooperating with federal officials and making sure nothing impedes the ongoing investigation.
The investigation into Weaks began April 4 when a special agent with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations connected to Weaks’ computer using peer-to-peer, or P2P, file-sharing software — a common way to trade child porn, according to the complaint filed in San Diego federal court.
The agent was able to obtain directly from Weaks’ computer two videos, including one of a toddler girl blindfolded and crying while women are restraining her and a man is performing a sex act on her, according to the complaint. The title of the second video — which runs nearly two hours — suggests a 7-year-old and a 9-year-old are involved and includes the words “sado slave,” the complaint says.
The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in San Diego searched Weaks’ home Tuesday and found “numerous” child porn files during an initial review, the complaint says. In an interview with the HSI agent, Weaks admitted using the software-sharing program and possessing child porn, the complaint states.
Weaks remains in custody without bond after prosecutors argued he was a danger to the community and a flight risk.
A detention hearing has been set for next week.
Rosa Parks, a year-round school, is on break until next week.
Davis writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
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