What to Know
- Ronald Sherman, a science teacher at Apollo Middle School in Hollywood, was arrested after a months-long investigation, BSO officials said
- An arrest affidavit said Sherman, 55, uploaded images of child pornography to his Tumblr account
A South Florida middle school teacher has been arrested on multiple child pornography charges, authorities said.
Ronald Sherman, a science teacher at Apollo Middle School in Hollywood, was arrested Thursday after a months-long investigation and faces charges including 10 counts of possessing or viewing a depiction of sexual performance by a child, and one count each of computer pornography and possession of material depicting the sexual performance by a child with intent to promote, according to a Broward Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit.
The affidavit said Sherman, 55, uploaded images of child pornography to his Tumblr account. Sherman told investigators he would look at other Tumblr "walls" and would share content, adding that he would "rapid fire" through images by clicking "share" on the ones he liked without knowing what he was actually sharing, the affidavit said.
Sherman told investigators he "wasn't really thinking" and "wasn't really trying to do the kiddie porn thing," the affidavit said. He also said the images were "not sexual" and would be "considered art," according to the affidavit.
The affidavit said Sherman "reblogged" more than 4,000 images and about 800 of the images depicted children. Many of the 800 images are considered "child erotica" and depict nude or scantily dressed girls between the ages of 3 and 12, the affidavit said.
Investigators also obtained chat session between Sherman and another Tumblr user in which he discussed his desire to have sex with young girls, the affidavit said.
"I love em young! Delicious!" Sherman wrote in one of the messages, according to the affidavit.
Local
Sherman was being held Friday on $240,000 bond, jail records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.
Sherman's LinkedIn profile says he's worked at Apollo Middle School since 2006. In bond court Friday morning, his public defender said he had resigned.
NBC 6 reached out to Broward Schools for a statement and is waiting to hear back.
