Elementary School Teacher Accused Of Watching Child Porn In His Classroom

MENTONE (CBSLA.com) — A music teacher at three San Bernardino County elementary schools was facing charges Friday of possession of child pornography, officials said.

Michael William Duffer, 41, was arrested Thursday and was being held on $25,000 bail.

The investigation began into Duffer on Feb. 2 when the principal of Vista Verde Elementary School reported that he was "observed after hours in his classroom watching obscene matter on his computer while he was partially undressed."

The Mentone resident was immediately placed on administrative leave. The case was taken over by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's Crimes against Children Detail.

"Detectives learned Duffer had been accessing child pornography from external storage devices, using the school computers as a means to view the content," Det. David Clifford said.

The devices containing child porn were later found at Duffer's home.

The 41-year-old also teaches at the Heritage School and Wrightwood Elementary in the Snowline Joint Unified School District, in addition to volunteering at First United Methodist Church in Redlands.

Duffer was scheduled to make his first court appearance on Feb. 17.

Anyone with information should contact Det. Clifford of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's Crimes Against Children Detail at (909)387-3615.