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Colton Middle School Teacher Accused Of Secretly Photographing Female Students

COLTON (CBSLA.com) — A seventh-grade science teacher at a Colton Middle School has been arrested on suspicion of secretly taking pictures of his female students.

Carlos Avila, 29, of San Bernardino, was arrested Thursday after several girls reported in April he had been photographing and videotaping their legs and underwear while in class at Jehue Middle School, police told the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

A search warrant was served at Avila's home, where evidence consistent with the allegations made was found and forwarded to the San Bernardino County sheriff's SID-Hi Tech division, according to the Press-Enterprise.

Avila turned himself into police Thursday, and was released later that night.

Avila was placed on administrative leave during the investigation and has not been allowed to return to the school, the newspaper reported.

CBS2 and KCAL9 reporter Bobby Kaple spoke to concerned parents including Thomas Gutierrez who has a young daughter.

"When you find out that something's happened, then we have to do something to prevent it," said Gutierrez.

Jose Virruet has three daughters. "It's not a good thing as parents. We all get concerned about what happened."

Virruet says he prays no one does harm to his daughters because he knows he can't keep a physical eye on them 24-7. "I pray that God protects them, whoever they are with. Teachers ... even family members."

Kaple went to a home in San Bernardino where Avila reportedly lives. He says a man who answered the door handed him a piece of paper with a name and phone number on it. The man said, "Call my lawyer." When Kaple called that number he says, "We got no answer."

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