Child pornography possession, Whitnall Middle School teacher accused
MUSKEGO, Wis. - A Whitnall Middle School teacher was charged on Thursday with two counts of child pornography possession.
Prosecutors accuse Ryan Craig, 37, of uploading files containing child sexual abuse material to Google Photos and Google Drive. The school district said he is suspended without pay.
Muskego police received a cybertip on April 25 from the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigations. According to a criminal complaint, the tip indicated that Google reported fifteen files uploaded to Google Photos and Google Drive to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
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Investigators in Muskego looked at thirteen of the images, the complaint states, at least three of which contained child sexual abuse material. They used the Gmail address, phone number and IP address linked to the Google Photos and Google Drive account to identify Craig as a suspect.
A search warrant was executed at Craig's home on May 15, the complaint states, and electronics were seized for forensic analysis. Those devices are still being reviewed, according to police.
Records show Craig made his initial court appearance on May 16, and the court issued a $100,000 signature bond.
Statement from Whitnall School District Interim Superintendent Kristen Taylor:
The district is aware of this issue. Communication was sent from my office to Whitnall staff and families yesterday morning. We don’t have additional information to share at this time. Our greatest priority at this time is student safety and wellbeing.
This is the content of the letter that went out today to staff and families.
Whitnall has been informed of the arrest and potential charges against a Whitnall Middle School teacher. The teacher has been placed on an unpaid suspension as of May 16, 2024. We cannot provide additional information at this time due to the ongoing criminal investigation of this matter. However, there is no indication that any alleged conduct impacted Whitnall students.
At times of stress and troubling news, it is important for students to maintain a sense of normalcy and continue with their routine as they typically would. We also realize that students often want to talk about unsettling things that they hear about in the news. We encourage students to seek out safe adults to discuss concerns. While you may hear rumors spread about what has happened or who was involved, it is important to be sensitive towards how others are feeling and remember that everyone is in control of their own stories. We do not want to contribute to misinformation by sharing unknown or false information. As a reminder, when information becomes overwhelming, it can be helpful to limit exposure to the media.
We understand that this news is unsettling and may impact students, parents, and staff in a variety of ways. If you are in need of additional support or suggestions on how to have a conversation with your child, the following resources are available:
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Please know that the continued safety and security of our students is our number one priority. Thank you for your understanding and continued support of our schools.
