Torrance middle school teacher arrested in child pornography case
LONG BEACH, Calif. — A music instructor at a Torrance middle school was taken into custody Friday morning by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on a state violation for allegedly possessing child pornography.
Eric James Mitchell, 36, was arrested on probable cause after HSI special agents executed a search warrant at his Long Beach residence and discovered sexually explicit images of minors on digital devices in the home. Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department assigned to the Long Beach Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and officers from the Torrance Police Department aided with the arrest.
Mitchell is a music instructor at Calle Mayor Middle School and it is believed he also provides private music instruction. HSI special agents notified officials with the Torrance Unified School District about the investigation and the Superintendent's Office advised Mitchell has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
"We have no indication at this time that this individual victimized any of his students, but that's certainly a concern whenever we're investigating a child pornography suspect who has close and ongoing contact with children," said Joseph Macias, special agent in charge of HSI Los Angeles. "I'd caution we're still in the very initial stages of reviewing the evidence in this case and we encourage the public to come forward if they have further information."
The probe into Mitchell's activities began after Long Beach-based HSI special agents received a lead from HSI's attaché office in Brussels. Authorities underscore the investigation is continuing and they urge any members of the public who may have information relevant to the case to contact ICE's toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing the agency's online tip form.
The case is a product of 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.
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