Former Liberty teacher arrested for child porn
A former substitute teacher at Liberty High School has pleaded not guilty to a ten count child porn indictment secretly handed up by the Trumbull County Grand Jury.
A former substitute teacher at Liberty High School was arrested and charged after an investigation into child pornography.
It's a story we first told you about nearly a year ago.
31-year-old Michael Ryan Mattocks bonded out of the Trumbull County Jail Friday afternoon after paying just $500.
He's facing 10 felony charges, including some accusing him of encouraging female students to send nude photos of themselves to him.
The official charges are Illegal Use of A Minor In Nudity-Oriented Material or Performance and Pandering Sexually-Oriented Matter Involving A Minor.
According to prosecutors Mattocks encouraged students ages 15 and 16 to send him nude photos of themselves. In one case the young girl was seen nude on a bed spread eagle with stuffed animals near by.
In addition, investigators say Mattocks also had nude pictures of young children they believe were obtained from the internet, some engaged in a sex act with an adult male.
Joe Nohra the Superintendent at Liberty Schools says his predecessor immediately took action when concerns about Mattocks were first raised.
"When the district found out that there were concerns last year they immediately investigated those concerns. Took immediate action, within hours removed the substitute from the campus and terminated the status of the substitute," Nohra said.
Substitutes teachers like all teachers are screened with FBI and BCI background checks, but districts have to keep watch to make sure they don't go astray after they're hired.
In this case a student voiced concerns to the principal.
"The key is to react quickly and protect children," Nohra said.
Mattocks will be back in court for a pre-trial hearing on January 24th.