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Christopher Carlisle, 29, was charged with possession of child pornography and distribution of obscene material. He is on administrative leave.
A Needham school employee is facing charges related to child pornography, the superintendent of schools told families Tuesday. The man is the third Needham school employee to face child pornography charges this year.
Christopher Carlisle, 29, is charged with possession of child pornography, distribution of obscene material, and possession of more than 10 ounces of a Class D substance, Millis police said. Class D substances include drugs like marijuana and barbiturates.
Carlisle was arrested Tuesday after “an extensive three-month investigation,” police said.
Carlisle, a Millis resident, was an employee in the Needham Extended Day Program, Needham Superintendent of Schools Daniel Gutekanst told families. The program provides before and after school enrichment for kindergarten through fifth grade students at Broadmeadow, Eliot, Mitchell, Newman, and Sunita Williams elementary schools.
No information from law enforcement indicates that Needham students were involved or harmed, Gutekanst said. He said Carlisle has been placed on administration leave and does not have access to Eliot, where he was based, or any other school buildings.
Carlisle pleaded not guilty in Wrentham District Court Tuesday and was released on his own personal recognizance, court records show.
Investigators were tipped off after the Kik messenger app flagged a username from an IP address on four separate occasions in February, according to a police report filed in court. The IP address was connected to a Verizon account registered to a Millis address on Cottage Avenue.
Police found more than 100 photos “of what appeared to be pre-pubescent females wearing underwear or bathing suit style clothing,” according to the police report. Specific images described by police involved children between the ages of 5 and 10, the report said.
A recorded selfie in the data found by police matched Carlisle’s description, police said. Messages uncovered by police referenced masturbating “to little girls” and “what ages do you like?” according to the police report.
The band director at Needham High School was charged with possession of child pornography in April. A Needham middle school teacher allegedly possessed and distributed child sex abuse material, which was announced in March.
“It will be necessary for the district to reflect on and consider how these events have unfolded to ensure that we are doing everything possible for the safety of our students; this includes the recruitment, hiring, and supervision of all staff and contracted employees,” Gutekanst said. “We are committed to being transparent with families and staff, regardless of the circumstances.”
Gutekanst said those two teachers have been dismissed. Families are invited to a virtual family meeting “to learn how the district is managing this situation and supporting students,” the superintendent said.
Counseling was available for Needham students on Tuesday, and additional services will be available Wednesday between 10 a.m. and noon at Eliot Elementary School.
A lawyer representing Carlisle did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday evening.
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