Ex-teacher used fake persona to get 70 kids to send him explicit photos, US officials say

Authorities received a tip in January 2021 about possible child pornography files on an external hard drive belonging to Brooks, prosecutors said. Detectives obtained court authorised search warrants, seizing multiple phones, computers, cameras, tablets and storage devices, authorities said. — Unsplash

A former elementary school teacher admitted in court that he posed as a woman online to trick minors into sending him sexual images and videos, US Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.

Steven Brooks, 36, of Morristown, who also helped run a youth soccer club, pleaded guilty to production and possession of child pornography before US District Judge John Michael Vazquez, officials said.