Fillmore High teacher among six arrested in connection with child pornography investigation

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Six people, including Fillmore High chemistry teacher Kevin John Reynolds, were arrested in connection with an investigation into child pornography during a two-week enforcement operation in late August of this year.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, between Aug. 18 and Aug. 29, 11 search warrants were approved and executed, including three for residential addresses, and a total of six people were taken into custody.

The Ventura County District Attorney's Office shared that three of the arrested people have been charged for the following crimes:

• Tan Hoang Phuc Le, 23, of Simi Valley has been charged with PC 311.11(a)-Possession of Child Pornography
• Kevin Williams, 42, of Santa Paula was charged with six counts of PC 311.1-Possession of Child Pornography With Intent to Distribute and PC 311.1(a)-Possession of Child Pornography
• Dameon Schubert, 36, of Ventura was charged with violation of PC 311.11(a)-Possession of Child Pornography and PC 311.1-Possession of Child Pornography With Intent to Distribute

On Aug. 27, investigators arrested 40-year-old Kevin Reynolds, a chemistry teacher at Fillmore High School, after executing a search warrant at his Newbury Park home in connection with the investigation noted the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Reynolds was identified during an undercover operation targeting people downloading and distributing child sexual abuse material and multiple computers and external hard drivers were seized during the search of his home added the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Both the Fillmore Unified School District and the Fillmore Police Department were notified after Reynolds was arrested at the scene for possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Reynolds posted his $50,000 bail and is next due in court on Sep. 10 of this year where he faces charges child pornography charges shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

The Ventura County District Attorney's Office noted that no evidence of local survivors of abuse in connection with any of the arrestees has come to light at this point in their investigation.

Your News Channel reached out to the Fillmore Unified School District and its response will be added to this article when it is received.

"The sexual exploitation of our children is one of the most disturbing crimes our investigators confront," explained Chief Investigator Scott Whitney. "Our investigators work tirelessly to identify and arrest those who seek to harm the most vulnerable members of our community."

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, the two other people arrested during the enforcement operation, 44-year-old Scott Milne of Thousand Oaks and 37-year-old Samuel William Lafond who was arrested by federal agents at an undisclosed location, have their specific charges currently under review.

The operation was conducted by the Ventura County Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, which is made up of investigators with the Ventura County District Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and received assistance during the operation from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the Ventura Police Department, the Santa Paula Police Department, the Oxnard Police Department, and the Southern California High Tech Task Force shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release.

"The FBI continues to collaborate with our local partners in Ventura County to focus on the exploitation of the most vulnerable members of our society," said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. "As part of 'Operation Summer Heat' the FBI has stepped up its efforts to target violent criminals - including violent offenders who target children - for arrest and prosecution at both the state and federal level. I’m proud of the enduring relationships we enjoy with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, as well as the Ventura, Oxnard and Santa Paula Police Departments, in having focused and continuing to focus on this important mission over the past several weeks and in the days ahead."

Anyone who suspects or has information about child sexual exploitation is asked to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-843-5678 or here.