According to the U.S. Attorney, the teacher of 15 years had been warned more than once about his “inappropriate conduct” with students. Newsday reports that the principal, during the 2000 school year, called the teacher’s before and after school behavior with students “out of control.” Since then the teacher had been issued a written memo from the school district and received, and ignored, several verbal warnings.

The Levittown teacher’s arrest came after he allegedly sent child pornography to a federal agent last October. The complaint filed said the video showed a six year old boy; the suspect said he was “into 5 to 12,” meaning five to twelve year old children.

Newsday also references a 2001 article in an educational magazine that quoted the suspect as saying, “I chose to teach sixth grade because the kids are so wonderful at this age.” The article’s author continued: “[His] affinity for young people extends to after-school and off-campus activities… He organizes monthly trips for the kids and their parents.”

The suspect’s attorney reports that current and former students have offered to write letters on the suspect’s behalf. The school district has not suspended him “because he doesn’t work in the summer” and would not comment on his status this fall.