Elementary School Counselor Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced that Thomas Henry Ceglarek, an elementary school counselor, entered guilty pleas today in federal court in San Diego.

According to court documents, Ceglarek tendered his guilty pleas before United States District Judge M. James Lorenz to two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of perjury. Ceglarek admitted that on or about May 21, 2008, he possessed two computers containing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He further admitted that on October 21, 2010, he signed and submitted a financial affidavit to the court in order to obtain an attorney appointment at the government's expense but falsely claimed that he: (1) was not employed and had not been employed since 2007, and (2) had not received any income during the previous 12 months, when in truth and in fact, he was still employed by the San Diego County Unified School District and making approximately $70,000/per year.

Sentencing is scheduled on May 24, 2011 at 8:30 a.m. before District Judge M. James Lorenz.

This case stems from an investigation by the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, whose members include Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, the Chula Vista Police Department, the United States Attorney's Office, the San Diego District Attorney's Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the United States Marshals Service, the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the National City Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, the Oceanside Police Department, the El Cajon Police Department, the San Diego State University Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

DEFENDANT

Case Number: 10cr4081L Thomas Henry Ceglarek Mercer, WI Age: 53

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a) (Possession of Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct)

Title 18, United States Code, Section 1621 (Perjury)

AGENCIES

Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC)