Eric Michael Samuel (170xx Andalusian Court, Moreno Valley, California), 37, teacher at Lakeside Middle School, Val Verde Unified School District, Perris, California, "child annoying and possession of child pornography" Riverside County Sheriff Press Release: Child Annoying and Possession of Child Pornography (Sept 3 2013) On May 30, 2013, Perris Police Department investigators were contacted by school administrators at Lakeside Middle School, in the city of Perris, regarding an incident of child annoying. Investigators learned that a middle school science teacher had taken several inappropriate pictures of some female students.The investigation revealed the teacher had taken digital photos of his students without their knowledge, which focused on their chest and buttocks. A search warrant was served at the teacher’s residence in the 17000 block of Andalusian Ct., Moreno Valley. During the search of the residence, investigators recovered computers, weapons and cellphones.Computer analysis of the teacher’s computers revealed several videos and pictures containing child pornography.On September 3, 2013, Eric Michael Samuel (37) was arrested at his residence for child annoying and possession of child pornography. Samuel was booked into the South West Detention Center and bail was set at $5,000.Tags:
L. A. Times: Perris middle school teacher accused of having child porn (Sept 3 2013) Eric Michael Samuel, 37, allegedly took digital photos of the students at Lakeside Middle School without their knowledge, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said. The photos of the girls, according to department authorities, "focused on their chests and buttocks." Investigators served a search warrant at Samuel's Moreno Valley home and allegedly found "several videos and pictures containing child pornography," authorities said in a statement.
Press Enterprise: PERRIS: Arrested teacher photographed girls’ chests, sheriff says (Sept 3 2013) [Eric Michael] Samuel, who taught science at Lakeside Middle School, is no longer employed by the Val Verde Unified School District, spokesman Daniel Whitfield said late Tuesday afternoon. He did not have further details on the separation. On May 30, Lakeside administrators reported to the Sheriff’s Department that Samuel had shot photos of female students without their knowledge that focused on their chests and buttocks, a sheriff’s news release said.Whitfield said Samuel was placed on leave at that time.Investigators searched Samuel’s residence in the 17000 block of Andalusian Court, where they seized computers, weapons and cell phones, the release said. Computer analysis of the computers revealed several videos and pictures containing child pornography.
CBS Local Los Angeles: Perris Middle School Teacher Accused Of Taking ‘Inappropriate’ Photos Of Students (Sept 3 2013) On May 30, Lakeside Middle School administrators contacted authorities regarding a science teacher who had allegedly taken several lewd pictures of some girls. An investigation revealed that Samuel had taken digital photos of his students without their knowledge, which focused on their chest and buttocks, police said. A search warrant was later served at his Moreno Valley residence, where investigators reportedly recovered computers, weapons and cellphones. An analysis of Samuel’s computers revealed several videos and pictures containing child pornography, according to authorities.
Lake Elsinore-Wildomar Patch: Perris Teacher Accused of Photographing Young Girls' Chests, Buttocks (Sept 3 2013) "Investigators learned that a middle school science teacher [Eric Michael Samuel] had taken several inappropriate pictures of some female students," a news release from the Perris Police Department read. "The investigation revealed the teacher had taken digital photos of his students without their knowledge, which focused on their chest and buttocks." A search warrant was served at the teacher’s home during which investigators recovered computers, weapons and cellphones, police allege. "Computer analysis of the teacher’s computers revealed several videos and pictures containing child pornography," the news release continued.
KTLA: Police: Teacher Took Inappropriate Photos of Students, Had Child Porn (Sept 4 2013) A science teacher at Lakeside Middle School in Perris, Samuel was taken into custody after campus administrators told police that he had taken photos of girls’ chests and buttocks, according to a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. A search of the teacher’s home ... found videos and images on containing child pornography on Samuel’s computers, according to the sheriff’s department.
ABC Local KGO: Perris teacher arrested for child porn, student pictures (Sept 4 2013) Lakeside Middle School administrators contacted Perris police about him in May. Investigators say Samuel took photos of female students in class, focusing on their chests and buttocks, without the girls' knowledge. A search of his computers turned up child pornography. Detectives also recovered weapons and cellphones. Samuel was arrested Tuesday, but the complaints were made in May.
Minister of what, where, ordained by whom? Other than a report of him presiding over a wedding last October, there are no specifics. LAist: Teacher Arrested For Child Porn Is Also An Ordained Minister (Sept 4 2013)
My Fox L.A.: Inland Empire Teacher Arrested For Inappropriate Photos, Child Porn (Sept 4 2013) The child annoyance the 37 year old science teacher who taught at Lakeside Middle School in Perris is accused of is taking "inappropriate" pictures of female students in class with his cell phone – as in pictures focusing in on their breasts and buttocks only. Yeah if true, that's bad.But the charges get worse. Much worse. Because when investigators seized his home computer – most likely to see if he'd saved any pictures from his cell phone to his hard drive, what they reportedly found took the case to a whole new level of disturbing. According to the Riverside Sheriff's Department, "Computer analysis of the teacher's computers revealed several videos and pictures containing child pornography".
After posting excerpts of seven articles based on the original news release, there's really a dearth of information here. Photos "focusing in on their breasts and bottocks only" are not illegal -- if they're clothed. Improper in a school, perhaps, but not illegal. Were they candids? Upskirts? Properly charged, "annoying a child" in California would be called harassment or "improper communications" or even molestation in most states. There's no mention of that here. And what was it about the photography in classroom that provided the necessary reasonable suspicion and probable cause to obtain a warrant to search his home? There's a lot yet to be explained about this case.