Elementary Music Teacher Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

A Federal Way, Washington, man was arrested this morning for possession of child pornography and made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Seattle this afternoon, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  CHRISTOPHER SCOTT NEWCOMBE, 35, has worked as a music teacher in a variety of public and charter schools in the Puget Sound region.  Currently, he is an elementary music teacher in the Renton School District. 

            According to records filed in the case, KIK screens for explicit images on its messaging system and forwards information on those images to law enforcement.  In November 2018, Homeland Security Investigations was alerted to the transmitting of sexually explicit images of young boys involving an internet protocol address ultimately traced to NEWCOMBE.  Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for NEWCOMBE’s digital devices.  The warrant was executed this morning, and NEWCOMBE was charged with possession of images of child pornography.

            Since NEWCOMBE has been employed as a music teacher, Homeland Security is asking that those who have concerns and wish to communicate with law enforcement call 206-442-1469.  NEWCOMBE’s current teaching position is at Renton’s Cascade Elementary School, but his social media profiles indicate prior teaching positions at schools in Tacoma, Federal Way, and Bainbridge Island.

            The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources better to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton.