A Lakeland teacher was arrested Thursday, charged with 20 counts of possession of child pornography, Polk County deputies said.
Lawrence D. Hughes, 59, a research teacher at Union Academy Magnet School was taken into custody today, after investigators found at least 20 images of child pornography on two computers assigned to him by the school board.
On May 28, detectives began an investigation with the Polk County School Board, when officials learned that a student who was using Lawrence Douglas Hughes’ school board issued classroom computer for research, saw a “warning” pop up on the computer that said “You have been viewing or distributing child pornography.”
The student told investigators that Hughes shut down the computer and that he said nothing about the pop-up message.
Investigators learned too, that the student was invited by Hughes to a canoeing trip earlier in the year, but declined, although two other male students about 13 or 14-year-old did go on the trip.
The student told investigators that he later saw pictures of the boys in bathing suits during the canoe trip, and that Hughes “wrestled” with one of the boys on the trip and that the two boys and Hughes were holding hands and “praying” together while on the trip.
Deputies forensically examined Hughes’ school assigned computers and found child pornographic images/pictures on both computers. According to investigators, the pictures were of nude prepubescent and pubescent boys between the ages of 12 and 16 years old, posing/exposing their genitalia in a lewd manner. There were also images/pictures depicting children engaged in sexual acts with adults and images of nude boys engaged in sexual acts with each other. At least 20 of the images have been determined to be child pornography.
Hughes’ home in Lakeland was served with a search warrant today and deputies say, any computers or electronic devices will be forensically examined for the presence of child pornography.
Hughes was booked into the Polk County Jail earlier today.
Detectives ask that students or parents who have any knowledge of any inappropriate contact that Lawrence Douglas Hughes may have had with children to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200.
