Crime & Safety

UPDATED: Police: Sayville Elementary Custodian Charged With Child Porn Possession

The Lincoln Avenue Elementary employee is scheduled to be arraigned in court today.

This story was updated at 9:30 to include information from the school district and further insight on the formal charge.

A Sayville School District elementary school custodian is under arrest for allegedly possessing child pornography, police said. 

Shawn Mead, 44, a custodian at , was found to be in possession of numerous pornographic digital images that included videos and photos of young children engaged in sexual activity, police said. 

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The Sayville School District, according to administration officials, was not aware of the investigation or the arrest.

"Actually we heard about it the same time as everyone else and at this time we have no information," an administration employee told Patch. Superintendent Dr. Walter Schartner was not in his office today, added the staffer.

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The arrest, according to police, came after the unit conducted an undercover investigation into individuals trading child pornography online. Police said Mead turned himself into police about 12:25 a.m. Tuesday at the Fifth Precinct in Patchogue.

The Patchogue resident was arrested and charged with one count of possessing a sexual performance by a child, according to police. After being held overnight at the precinct, police said he is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip Tuesday. 

The charge of possessing a sexual performance by a child is a class E felony, punishable with a maximum sentence of four years in jail.


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