Teacher Appears in Court on Child Pornography Charges

By First Coast News Staff

CLAY COUNTY, FL -- A teacher from Orange Park has been taken out of the classroom as the FBI launches a child pornography investigation.

John McIntyre, 40, is accused of distribution and possession of child pornography. He appeared in federal court this afternoon.

McIntyre is a 5th and 6th grade teacher at Tynes Elementary School in Clay County.

The Clay County School District says McIntyre also worked as a 2nd and 3rd grade teacher at Ridgeview Elementary between 1988-1993. He also worked as a basketball coach at Lakeside Junior High during the 1997 school year.

Sharon Chapman, the principal of Tynes Elementary , sent a letter home to parents asking them to contact school leaders if they feel the need to talk about the matter.

"Just as you, we as a school family are shocked and repulsed by these charges," Chapman wrote in the letter.

Leaders have removed McIntyre from the classroom. The school has put a substitute in his place until a replacement is found.

The FBI is also appealing to parents of kids at the elementary school to talk to their children to see if any came in contact with McIntyre.

The FBI says McIntyre met several times with an undercover agent in an online chat room to discuss trading of images of children engaging in sex acts.

Agents say McIntyre claimed to be a 6th grade teacher on vacation.

The FBI claims McIntyre used his computer to send a series of images involving minors to the undercover agent.

He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

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