An Ohio kindergarten teacher who resigned in December following felony drug possession charges is accused of secretly recording his students in the bathroom.
Elliot Gornall, 32, a former teacher at R.F. McMullen Elementary School, is found to have allegedly used a tiny spy camera hung inside a plastic hook on the wall of his classroom's bathroom, according to prosecutors.
He had dozens of videos featuring 25 separate students on his personal computer which were taken by authorities during a drug raid at his home in November.
Gornall faces 25 felony charges including 23 counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance, as well as two counts of attempting the same crime.
If convicted, he could face up to 184 years in prison, according to the Mansfield News Journal.
He had worked in the district for four years following clean background checks and had been moved to the kindergarten classroom in 2014, according to officials.
Gornall was arrested on Friday and is being held in the Ashland County Jail, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
'The thought that a previously trusted kindergarten teacher would take advantage of young children in this way is horrifying,' said Ashland County Prosecutor Chris Tunnell in a statement announcing the charges on Saturday.
The former teacher was found to have not only filmed students in his homeroom but also kindergartners who came into his classroom for end-of-day activities, said district spokesman Matt Dole.
'He was well-liked by students, staff and parents,' said Annette Gorrell, principal at R.F. McMullen Elementary School. 'The betrayal is huge.'
Gornall taught both second and third-grade students before moving to the kindergarten classroom, and there is no indication that anything happened with his previous students, who he had taught before August, said Annette Gorrell, principal at the school.
Parents of the students learned of the incident on Saturday said they felt both betrayed and angry.
'First, it's anger. Then, you're upset. And then you just feel betrayed,' said John Carroll, a member of the school board and also a parent of a child who was videotaped. 'We feel so hurt that our child was violated in this way.'
Gornall resigned from teaching last year after being arrested for felony drug possession.
He was charged related to prescription-drug abuse and marijuana in December, along with a misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property when authorities said they discovered children's underwear while raiding his home in relation to the drug charges.
He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
Investigators then confiscated his home computer and contacted the school.
Gornall's computer was examined by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and videos were found dating back to around August 20 to mid-November, said Tunnell.
'We are responsible for every teacher and staff member who works here and when one of them breaks the law, we take it very seriously,' she said.
Investigators said none of the videos were uploaded online or shared in any way, and there is no indication any students were physically abused or touched inappropriately.
School officials said they do not plan to address their students about the allegations but will have counselors available, and a letter will go out to the district on Monday.
'The kindergartners are innocent,' said Gorrell. 'We are hoping that they don't have to hear about this.'
Gornall was taken into custody on Friday and is expected in court on Monday.
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