Alonzo Small

The News Journal

An elementary school teacher from the Brandywine School District was arrested and charged with 25 counts of child pornography, a state official said.

William M. Herkins IV, 50, of Claymont, was employed as a teacher at Carrcroft Elementary School at the time of his arrest and was charged with 25 counts of dealing in child pornography, said Carl Kanefsky, with the state Attorney General's Office. Herkins was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to the Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna after failing to post $1.25 million secured bail.

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An undercover investigation by the Delaware Child Predator Task Force into the online sharing of child pornography revealed that Herkins downloaded and shared multiple files of child pornography via the internet over an extended period of time, Kanefsky said.

A search warrant was executed at Herkins’ residence in the Gwinhurst neighborhood on Tuesday at which time detectives seized multiple electronic devices and other related evidence, Kanefsky said.

According to records obtained by The News Journal, Herkins stated he used a torrent program to obtain movies and pornography through the internet. When asked by members of the Child Predator Task Force what type of pornography, Herkins said he has seen "young stuff," specifically involving children.

Court records also show Herkins admitting that an external hard drive and the connecting desktop computer located in the kitchen of his residence is where he stored the previously viewed child pornography.

A forensic preview of those devices revealed more than 25 files of child pornography as defined by Delaware law.

Court records revealed one video featured a compilation of female children ages 4-12 performing sexual acts with adult males.

"The number one priority of the Brandywine School District, or any school district, is the safety of our students and staff," said Alexis Andrianopoulos, a spokeswoman for the school district. "We know that child pornography is terribly harmful to children and at odds with our responsibilities as educators and adults. Therefore, the Brandywine School District will not employ anyone who puts a child in harm’s way, period. We are cooperating fully with the Attorney General’s Office, law enforcement, and investigators in this matter."

Officials with the school district declined to comment further on the matter.

Any concerns about Herkins can be directed to the Child Predator Task Force at 302-739-2030. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed upon further examination.

Contact Alonzo Small at (302) 324-2856 or asmall@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @P_AlonzoSmall.