Alton F. Brown, 41, an English teacher at Jersey City’s Henry Snyder High School, was arrested on Sept. 8 after Google flagged a child pornography video uploaded to his cloud account, according to a criminal complaint.
Investigators obtained a warrant and discovered one photo and 42 videos of child pornography on Brown’s account, court documents show. Police then searched his Jersey City home, arresting him and seizing two cell phones.
Brown also worked as a Zumba dance-exercise instructor at the Bethune Center in the city’s Greenville neighborhood, a detail that deepens concern about his access to young people across multiple settings.
Jersey City Superintendent of Schools Norma Fernandez said the district acted swiftly upon learning of the allegations. “The individual has not been active in his role during the current academic year,” Fernandez said.
She added that the district “immediately” placed Brown on leave and “revoked all access to district facilities, electronic networks, and learning platforms.” Fernandez did not specify whether the leave was paid or unpaid.
“As student safety and well-being remain our highest priorities, the District will cooperate fully with law enforcement,” the superintendent said. “Because this concern involves an ongoing law enforcement inquiry and a confidential personnel issue, the District will refrain from offering additional comments presently.”
Despite his arrest, Brown was still listed on the Henry Snyder High School staff page as of Wednesday afternoon. The arts magnet school serves students in Jersey City, where Brown has lived and worked.
The case carries particular sting given Brown’s once-positive local profile. In 2015, the Jersey City city council honored him for donating a kidney to his father, according to a post by his local neighborhood association.
He is charged with one count of knowing possession, viewing, or control of child sexual abuse material or child pornography and is scheduled to appear in Hudson County court on Thursday.
Brown could not be reached for comment, and it was not clear whether he had retained legal representation.
