San Bernardino Middle School Teacher Arrested for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography

RUNNING SPRINGS, CA—A former San Bernardino middle school teacher was arrested this morning on charges he exchanged sexually explicit images online with a 13-year-old girl, announced Steven Martinez, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office; and André Birotte Jr., the United States attorney in Los Angeles. The announcement was made on behalf of multiple law enforcement agencies investigating the case in California and New Jersey.

Eugene Ballantyne, 29, of Running Springs, California, was arrested this morning without incident by FBI agents. A criminal complaint was filed in United States District Court in Riverside on Friday charging Ballantyne with receipt and distribution of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2).

According to the complaint, detectives with the South Brunswick Police Department in New Jersey were contacted by a parent of a 13-year old-girl, the alleged child victim identified in the complaint as “CV,” after the parent had become aware of sexually explicit communication between the victim and Ballantyne earlier this year. South Brunswick detectives continued to investigate and contacted the FBI when their investigation revealed the victim had been corresponding with a suspect located in California.

Investigators in New Jersey and California, with the assistance of the San Bernardino School District, identified Eugene Ballantyne as the user of the phone used to communicate with the minor victim.

According to the complaint, Ballantyne met the victim on an Internet chat site where they exchanged contact information and continued to correspond via Internet messaging services downloaded by the victim at Ballantyne’s direction.

Ballantyne, who allegedly used a false name of John Baldwin while communicating with the victim, sent nude photographs of himself to the victim and received partially nude, sexually suggestive photographs of the victim. The complaint alleges that Ballantyne was very demanding during phone conversations with the minor victim and persuaded the victim to engage in sexual activity while they conversed.

Ballantyne allegedly blocked his number on multiple occasions when he called the victim and continually requested that the victim delete his pictures, text messages, and e-mails. Ballantyne communicated often during the latter part of January 2012 and allegedly told the victim not to tell anyone about their relationship, according to the complaint. In addition, the complaint details messages Ballantyne sent to the victim wherein he expresses his love for the victim and describes “how lucky” he was that the victim was “in his life.”

On March 1, a federal search warrant was executed at Ballantyne’s residence for evidence of child pornography. During the search, Ballantyne admitted to agents that he had been communicating with the minor since January 2012 and that he had received sexually explicit images from the victim, as well as having received sexually explicit images from another minor female he met online approximately two years prior, identified in the complaint as “CV2.” The complaint further alleges that Ballantyne admitted to traveling 180 miles to have sex with a third minor victim, identified in the complaint as “CV3,” whom he met in an online chat room. Ballantyne admitted to maintaining contact with both CV2 and CV3.

Based on evidence obtained during the search of Ballantyne’s home and further investigation, detectives and agents believe that Ballantyne may have had access to other minors not yet identified, and are distributing his photo to seek information as to whether additional victims exist. Ballantyne is a former middle school teacher in San Bernardino, California. At this time, there is no evidence suggesting Ballantyne had illegal contact with children at the school where he was employed; however, the investigation is continuing and the San Bernardino Unified School District is cooperating.

Anyone with information about this case, or the unreported victimization of minors, is urged to contact the FBI at 888-226-8443.

Ballantyne will have an initial appearance before a federal magistrate in U.S. District Court in Riverside this afternoon, currently scheduled at 3:00 p.m.

If convicted, Ballantyne faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office; detectives with the South Brunswick, New Jersey, Police Department; and the FBI’s New Jersey Cybercrimes Task Force. The San Bernardino County Unified School District provided assistance and is cooperating with the investigation.

Ballantyne will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office.

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

FBI Press Relations: 310 996-3343
U.S. Attorney’s Office: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Yang, 951 276-6221