Shocking Arrest of Queens First-Grade Teacher for Child Porn Possession
Family's Recorded Confession Leads to Charges Against Educator at Hunters Point Elementary
QUEENS, NY. — Christopher Ward, a 37-year-old first-grade teacher at Hunters Point Elementary School in Queens, New York City, was arrested and charged with possessing child pornography after allegedly sharing hundreds of explicit photos and videos of minors over at least the past year. While standing before his young students daily, Ward is accused of storing and distributing material depicting prepubescent children and those under 12 years old.
Ward’s own family played a pivotal role in his downfall, secretly recording his confession to the crimes before turning him over to authorities. Queens District Attorney Clayton condemned the betrayal of trust, stating: “Every day, Christopher Ward stood at the front of a classroom of first graders while allegedly storing hundreds of images exploiting children just like them.” Clayton further affirmed, “The women and men of our Office are committed to ridding New York of child pornography. Together with our partners at Homeland Security Investigations and the New York City Police Department Special Investigations Unit, we will aggressively pursue and prosecute those who create, possess, and distribute child pornography.”
From his home in Farmingdale, New York, Ward faces two felony counts—receiving and distributing child pornography, and possessing child pornography—each carrying a maximum of 20 years in prison. Prior to Hunters Point, he taught for three years at the Academy of St. Joseph, a Catholic school in Manhattan. Ward has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return to court on October 2.
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