A North Florida high school teacher was arrested Thursday and charged with distribution of child pornography, according to the Department of Justice.
Jeremy Scott Clark, 44, of Ponte Vedra, Fla., faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, up to 20 years, in federal prison, and a potential lifetime of supervision.
According to a federal criminal complaint, on Feb. 22, 2018, an individual using the screen name “LLCoolJack1973” responded to a message on an internet bulletin board frequented by individuals with a sexual interest in children. The message had been posted by an undercover FBI agent, according to the DOJ. The user (LLCoolJack1973), later identified as Clark, began an online conversation with the undercover FBI agent.
BREAKING: A local teacher -- married with 3 children -- has been charged with distributing child porn through the internet.. @wjxt4
@ 5p https://t.co/Qdc36QMm8xpic.twitter.com/YmKfPx5wLt— Joy Purdy (@WJXTJoyPurdy) March 8, 2018
Officials say that after some conversation about sexual activity with children, the user sent an image of an adult male on a bed displaying his genitals, and later sent a link to the FBI agent that contained images of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Further investigation revealed that the internet protocol address used by “LLCoolJack1973” traced back to Clark’s residence in Ponte Vedra, and that Clark was a teacher at First Coast High School in Jacksonville. He is currently still listed on the school's website as a math teacher.
On March 8, 2018, FBI agents and other law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Clark’s residence and seized several items of computer media and at least one Apple iPhone. Through interviews, agents were able to confirm that the picture of the naked male sent to the undercover FBI agent depicted Clark on his bed, in a bedroom at his residence. Clark was placed under arrest.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information regarding this investigation should contact the FBI Jacksonville office at (904) 248-7000. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
