SF swimming instructor nabbed in child-porn investigation

Nicholas Hodges, 28, was arrested in San Francisco on Tuesday after investigators found hundreds of files of child pornography in his possession, police said. Nicholas Hodges, 28, was arrested in San Francisco on Tuesday after investigators found hundreds of files of child pornography in his possession, police said. Photo: San Francisco Police Department Photo: San Francisco Police Department Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close SF swimming instructor nabbed in child-porn investigation 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A children’s swim instructor was arrested in San Francisco after investigators linked him to hundreds of child-pornography files uploaded and stored online, police said Thursday.

The San Francisco Police Department identified the man as 28-year-old Nicholas Hodges of San Francisco.

Hodges was arrested Tuesday after a search of his home yielded numerous media devices belonging to him that contained more than 600 files of child pornography, police said.

When he was taken into custody at his workplace, police seized a cell phone containing more evidence of child exploitation, officials said.

The pornography was traced to Hodges through an investigation started last month by the San Francisco Police Department’s Internet Crimes against Children Unit, according to police.

Police did not release the name of Hodges’ employer but said it is cooperating with the investigation.

Hodges began working at La Petite Baleen — a swim school in San Francisco, with other branches throughout the Bay Area — in September 2015, owner John Kolbisen said in a statement.

Kolbisen said the company, which offers swim lessons to children, was “shocked and horrified” by the charges and fired Hodges soon after the allegations surfaced.

Kolbisen said he was “not aware of evidence or allegations linking any of our students” to the charges against Hodges.

Filipa Ioannou and Michael Bodley are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com and mbodley@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @obioannoukenobi and @michael_bodley