Columbia Substitute Teacher Charged with Child Porn Possession

A long-term substitute teacher at Folly Quarter Middle School was charged with possession of child pornography, police announced Friday.

Police said Jeremy Sykes, 43, of Hesperus Drive in Columbia taught at the school since Oct. 2013. Police said they began investigating Sykes after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children tipped them off that uploads of child pornography were traced to the same user on two computers in Howard County—one at Sykes' home and another to the Howard County Public School System.

There is no evidence that any of the children in the photos are Folly Quarter Middle School students, according to police.

Police arrested Sykes at his home on Thursday night and have conducted searches at his residence as well as at the middle school. The public school system removed Sykes from their list of approved substitutes and banned him from school property, according to police.

Sykes was released on his own recognizance after his arrest, said police.

Principal Rick Wilson wrote in an email to Folly Quarter parents that Sykes was working as a substitute in the school's technology education classroom. Wilson asked that anyone who may have additional information about Sykes call police.

"Rest assured that student safety remains our highest priority at Folly Quarter Middle School," wrote Wilson. "I will keep you posted as more information becomes available from the Howard County Police Department."