Six people were arrested on child pornography charges after a joint operation between Connecticut's State Police bureau of criminal investigations and U.S. Homeland Security.
Eric Von Kohorn, 33, of Bridgeport was one of those who was arrested. He is a former paraprofessional at Wilton Preschool, which is part of the Wilton Public Schools, and worked there since 2007. He had no criminal history before this arrest. He was charged with possession of child pornography in the first degree and promoting a minor in an obscene performance. Bond was set at $50,000, and he's due in court September 3. Doctors will be available for concerned parents at Wilton Preschool on Tuesday, according to the school district.
The district released a statement that it was notified by federal and state law enforcement that Von Kohorn was under investigation on June 11, at which point he was put on administrative leave, removed from the school grounds, and asked not to return. The school also notified the Department of Children and Families. Von Kohorn later resigned on June 16, after which point communication between Von Kohorn and the district ceased.
A follow-up statement released by the district says it discovered that Von Kohorn was arrested on Wednesday, but authorities told the district that there was no evidence that suggests he harmed any Wilton children. Von Kohorn had no disciplinary record in his personnel file, and the district says there are no reports of staff members observing him acting inappropriately with children. He was supervised, like all employees, and no reports were ever made regarding his actions.
The other individuals arrested, and their charges, are as follows:
- James Kyle Bidwell, 20, of Manchester. He was charged with possession of child pornography in the second degree and promoting a minor in an obscene performance. Bond was set at $150,000, and he is due in court September 12.
- Jaysen Timothy Puerta, 31, of Norwich. He was charged with possession of child pornography in the first degree, promoting a minor in an obscene performance and importing child pornography material. Bond was set at $35,000, and he is due in court September 4.
- Pedro Cambisaca, 30, of New Haven. He was charged with possesssion of child pornography in the third degree and promoting a minor in an obscene performance. Bond was set at $125,000.
- Eli Echevarria, 56, of New Haven. He was charged with possession of child pornography in the third degree and promoting a minor in an obscene performance. Bond was set at $125,000.
- Edwin Alton Scotton, 62, of Suffield. He was charged with possession of child pornography in the first degree and promoting a minor in an obscene performance. Bond was set at $250,000, and he appeared in court on Wednesday.
The detectives from the computer crimes unit investigated the individuals for several months and years. The investigations unit is also home to the state's internet crimes against children task force, which reinforced this operation.