ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A Batavia man, who was most recently teaching in the Dansville Central School District, is facing multiple child pornography charges.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says 29-year-old Derek Hagen was arrested and charged with producing, receiving, distributing and possessing child pornography.
Hagen has worked in several other teaching, substitute teaching and child-care positions including at the Brockport Childhood Development Center, the Batavia City School District and the Pembroke School District.
According to the complaint, Snapchat sent a cyber tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in September 2020 about a user that had uploaded images of child pornography to a group chat. After the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children traced the user to Western New York, it notified the State Police.
In July of 2021, investigators confiscated two computers and a cell phone from Hagen's apartment in Mt. Morris. A forensic analysis discovered a pattern of child exploitation activity on the devices that included Hagen allegedly producing and distributing child pornography in online chats.
During the chats, the U.S. Attorney's Office says he and others traded child porn and discussed specific children they had sexually abused or wanted to sexually abuse.
So far, analysts say they have recovered some 50,000 images and videos on Hagen's devices.
The charges against Hagen were announced on Wednesday.
The U.S. Attorney's Office is asking members of the public who may have information related to this case to contact Homeland Security Investigations at (716) 464-6070, or to contact them by email.
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