Terrell Police Department (TPD) arrested a Mesquite ISD high school football coach and U.S. history teacher Feb. 14 for allegedly possessing child pornography.
TPD Deputy Chief A.D. Sansom announced Wednesday that officers arrested 25-year-old John Tyler Waters after receiving a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children related to child pornography, according to the TPD statement.
“The investigating led to the apartment residence where the pornography was uploaded and it was within Terrell city limits,” TPD stated. “Upon confirmation, Detectives executed a search warrant on the residence in December 2022, and seized all electronic data storage devices.”
A forensic search of Waters’ seized data found he “was positively linked to an offense of Possession of Child Pornography,” leading to his arrest, according to TPD.
A Mesquite ISD football coach and teacher is charged with possession of child pornography. https://t.co/GvDrVF9BKO
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) February 16, 2023
Waters was a substitute teacher with Mesquite ISD before being hired full-time as a high school football coach and U.S. history teacher at Dr. John Horn High School in August 2022, according to an email the school district sent parents, Mesquite News reported. (RELATED: Asked About Their Genitalia: School Security Guard Allegedly Used Social Media To Sexually Communicate With Minors)
“Upon learning of these charges and the arrest, MISD took immediate action to place Waters on administrative leave,” the district said, according to Mesquite News. “Waters began working for MISD as a coach and teacher in August of 2022, following his work as an extended substitute teacher last school year. Prior to today’s events, the district was unaware of any concerns or allegations of inappropriate behavior involving Waters. Police have informed the district that they do not believe Waters’ arrest involved the district or MISD student.”
Waters was transferred to the Kaufman County Law Enforcement Center and held on a $100,000 bond.