Former Dansville teacher arrested on federal child porn charges
The former long-term substitute teacher in the Dansville Central School District who was arrested last summer for allegedly possessing child pornography is now facing federal charges after investigators say approximately 50,000 images and videos of child pornography were found on his electronic devices.
Derek Hagen, 29, of Batavia was arrested and charged by criminal complaint Wednesday with producing, receiving, distributing and possessing child pornography, according to Trini E. Ross, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York.
If convicted, the charges carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 30 years.
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According to the federal criminal complaint detailed by Ross, in September 2020, Snapchat sent a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children highlighting a user who uploaded images of child pornography to a group chat on the social media app.
After tracing the user to Western New York, NCMEC alerted the New York State Police, who identified Hagen.
On July 20, 2021, investigators confiscated two computers and a cellphone from Hagen’s apartment in Mount Morris.
The U.S. attorney said a forensic analysis uncovered a pattern of child exploitation activity on the devices with Hagen actively producing and distributing child pornography in online chats.
The complaint alleges that during the chats, Hagen and the other individuals traded child pornography and discussed specific children that they had sexually abused or wanted to sexually abuse.
According to Dansville school officials, Hagen was employed by the district during the 2020-21 academic year as a remedial teaching substitute and English for Speakers of Other Languages substitute, and as a teacher for the 2021 summer school clinic.
Danville officials said Hagen is no longer employed by the district.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Hagan was employed in several other teaching, substitute teaching and child-care positions in the region, including at the Brockport Childhood Development Center, the Batavia City School District and the Pembroke Central School District.
Members of the public who have information related to this case are asked to contact Homeland Security Investigations at 716-464-6070 or hsibuffalotips@ice.dhs.gov.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police led by Major Barry Chase; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino; and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
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This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Former Dansville teacher arrested on federal child pornography charges
