Former teacher arrested on child porn charge

SUGAR LAND, TX (KTRK) -- A former Sugar Land teacher has been arrested for allegedly uploading child pornography to the internet.

Chad Cole, 40, was arrested at a home on a charge of promoting that pornography. Investigators with the Houston Metro Internet Crimes against Children task force say they traced the files back to Cole's computer.

"He's shared child pornography or offered to share files considered child pornography with other people," said detective Jarret Nethery with the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office.

Until May, Cole taught at Logos Preparatory Academy in Sugar land. Officials there say he taught computer classes at the fifth and sixth grade level, and high school physics at the school. Logos is a private K-12 school. President and Head of school Ron Clyde tells Eyewitness News Cole's contract was not renewed in May for "non-performance."

The school has sent emails to notify parents of Cole's arrest, even though it and detectives say there has been no evidence that any of the students were subjected to anything inappropriate. Detectives say they've so far discovered nothing that's led them to believe any children were physically assaulted.

"We want to bring evil into the light. While we're saddened, we're going to pursue the truth," Clyde said said.

The charge against Cole is a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 2 years in prison per image.