1st grade New York City public school teacher facing child porn charges
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Federal prosecutors on Thursday unsealed criminal charges against a first grade New York City public school teacher who allegedly possessed and distributed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.
Christopher Ward, 37, was arrested Wednesday and made an initial appearance before a federal magistrate on charges of receiving and distributing material containing child pornography, including files containing sexually explicit images of minors, and possessing child pornography, including images and videos of prepubescent minors and minors who had not attained 12 years of age.
Both counts carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
"Every day, Christopher Ward stood at the front of a classroom of first graders while allegedly storing hundreds of images exploiting children just like them," said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. "The women and men of our Office are committed to ridding New York of child pornography."
From September 2024 to September 2025, Ward worked as a first-grade teacher at an elementary school in Queens. Prior to that, he worked as a first-grade teacher at a school in Manhattan.
During those times, Ward possessed and distributed hundreds of images and videos constituting child pornography on his account with an electronic mobile messaging app, according to the criminal complaint.
"With over four years spent in close proximity to young children, the gravity of these accusations cannot be overstated," said Ricky Patel of Homeland Security Investigations.
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