Teacher Arrested, Accused of Possessing Child Porn

A Redlands elementary school teacher, who serves as a regional vice president of the California Teachers Assn., was arrested by FBI agents Wednesday on suspicion of possessing child pornography.

A search of Philip George Dupuis’ apartment turned up more than 700 photos of young boys engaged in sexual acts with adult men, some of them sadistic, according to a court affidavit. Authorities said they also found a copy of an anonymous letter sent to one Redlands public school last year, accusing Dupuis of touching boys in an improper way.

Dupuis, 49, teaches music at all elementary schools in the Redlands district.

School district offices were closed for the holidays Wednesday, and efforts to reach officials there were unsuccessful. A California Teachers Assn. executive had no comment on Dupuis’ arrest.

The case came to light about two weeks ago when a former Redlands police dispatcher reported that his teenage nephew, while cleaning Dupuis’ apartment, had found photos of young boys engaged in sex acts. The youth also told of finding sexual paraphernalia, according to court papers.

Police went to Dupuis’ apartment to talk to the teenager. While there, the affidavit said, Dupuis arrived and gave officers permission to search the apartment and another residence to which he was in the process of moving.

Most of the pictures that form the substance of the criminal complaint were found on computer disks. Some photos showed a young boy bound and gagged and being sodomized by a man, according to court documents. The anonymous letter alleging improper touching of male students was addressed to a “Mr. Clover at Lugonia School.” Redlands police said they first learned of the allegations during the search.

Possession of child pornography is a felony under federal law, punishable by up to 29 years in prison.

Dupuis made his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon before a federal magistrate, who ordered him held without bail.