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WEST JORDAN — A West Hills Middle School teacher arrested earlier this month for investigation of child pornography was charged this week with two felonies in the case.
Jeffrey Thomas Patterson, 31, is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, both third-degree felonies.
Agents from the state Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force served a search warrant Nov. 4 at the West Jordan home where Patterson lived, but initially found two others in the home, charging documents state.
Patterson, who lives in the basement of the home, was spotted by two agents as he tried to leave the basement's back entrance, according to the charges.
Patterson allegedly told task force agents that "after viewing he would delete the child pornography … because he felt guilty."
"Patterson said that he looked for regular adult pornography and had come across child pornography a few years earlier," court documents state.
The pornographic images and videos specified in the charging documents all include boys, some of whom were prepubescent and others in their early teens.
Patterson allegedly said he viewed child pornography as recently as a week before agents came to his home. The most recent viewing incident before that was about six months earlier, he reportedly told investigators.
Charging documents claim Patterson admitted that agents may find about 100 child pornography files on his computer and 25 such files on an external hard drive if the task force examined those devices for the deleted files.
"Multiple electronic devices were seized from Patterson's residence. No active child pornography files were located during the on-site search," charging documents state. "This is consistent with Patterson's assertion that he deleted child pornography after viewing it. A computer search warrant was otained to forensically search the devices."
Patterson, a science teacher, was arrested Nov. 5. A Salt Lake County Jail report said he admitted to pleasuring himself "one time in his classroom during a lunch break while sitting behind his desk" and "having sexual thoughts regarding 50 to 60 of his seventh-grade students."
Patterson allegedly told task force agents that "after viewing he would delete the child pornography … because he felt guilty."
Patterson also admitted he had "thought about placing hidden cameras in the boys bathroom at school," according to the jail report.
Patterson, who has taught at West Hills Middle School for three years, was suspended during the legal investigation effective immediately following his arrest, according to Jordan School District spokeswoman Sandy Riesgraf. He is disallowed from all school district property and school functions as part of the suspension, Riesgraf said earlier this month.
Patterson never acted out inappropriately with any students to the district's knowledge, according to Riesgraf. Anyone with concerns about Patterson can call the school principal, she said. Anyone with information relevant to his case is asked to call the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at 801-281-1211.
Patterson is currently in the Salt Lake County Jail on $100,000 bail. Charging documents express concern about the prospect of Patterson leaving custody because of his "position as a teacher, his admitted sexual attraction to minors in the age range as those he teaches, his fantasies regarding minors known to him, and the extended length of time of his viewing of child pornography."
Patterson, who has no previous criminal history in Utah, is expected to attend his initial court hearing Monday.
