Former Houston-area teacher charged with receiving and possessing child pornography

GALVESTON, Texas — A former high school teacher with the Alvin Independent School District was arrested and ordered into custody on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

These charges resulted from the investigative efforts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Alvin Police Department, and the Alvin Independent School District Police, with assistance from the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office.

Scott Burns, 45, was charged in a sealed indictment returned Nov. 24, and unsealed Friday upon his arrest at his Alvin home. He appeared Tuesday for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge John R. Froeshner. During the hearing, the government presented evidence regarding his former employment, and that he was a flight risk and a danger to the community. The government further argued that no conditions of bond would assure his presence in federal court nor protect the community. Judge Froeshner subsequently ordered he be detained pending further criminal proceedings.

The indictment alleges that from about February 2012 to March 2013, Burns knowingly received material that contained child pornography. He is further charged with one count of possessing child pornography. Specifically, on March 18, 2014, Burns possessed a Hitachi Deskstar hard drive and compact discs containing video and still images of child pornography.

If convicted, Burns faces a mandatory minimum of five and up to 10 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. He further faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for the possession charge. Burns also faces a fine of up to $250,000 for each count of conviction and the possibility of a life term of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender if convicted.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting this case.

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.