KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Teacher Arrested: Charged With Child Porn

Teacher Arrested: Charged With Child Porn

By Clint Olivier and Winston Whitehurst

Tulare Police say 54-year old Tulare Western High band teacher Raymond Ferenci was arrested at his home Thursday after a nearly six month-long investigation.

It started last May when police contacted Ferenci about his allegedly sending text messages of a sexual nature to female students.

"When we searched for photos of his students, other photos popped up and those photos depicted children in sexual poses, child pornography," Breckinridge said.

Tulare Police Captain Jerry Breckinridge referred KMPH News to a 15 page court document that outlines Ferenci's alleged crimes and contains his admission to police of viewing up to 200 different pictures.

The paperwork details the 11 images Ferenci is alleged to have viewed:

Pictures of pre-teen females being sexually exploited, children as young as four, and teenaged girls ages 14 to 16.

"He stated he did that because that correlated with the ages of his students," Breckinridge said.

"This is his 20th year at Tulare Western," Barlogio said.

Tulare Western Principal Vern Barlogio says faculty and students are shocked and saddened by what police say Mr. Ferenci was capable of.

Barlogio says counselors are standing by to help students who need to talk.

"They were made available this afternoon. They'll also be available today and Monday and as many days as we need them," he said.

Detectives say they are confident Ferenci made no physical contact with any students during his time at Tulare Western.