Teacher denies kid porn charges
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By Susan Smallheer Herald Staff - Published: December 18, 2008
BRATTLEBORO — A longtime teacher at Brattleboro Union High School pleaded innocent Tuesday to charges of possession of child pornography, after a pair of deer hunters stumbled across his cache of child pornography hidden in the woods.
Eric Achenbach, 59, who has taught computers and graphic arts at the high school since 1985, pleaded innocent to one count of possession of child pornography. He was released on conditions that he have no contact with children and that he only use the Internet in the company of a friend.
Achenbach has been placed on administrative leave by school officials.
The two hunters had found the box of pornography on a ridge behind the Mountain View Seventh Day Adventist Church on Fort Bridgman Road in Vernon on Nov. 29. The two hunters reported the materials to the Vernon Police Department, who eventually alerted the Southeastern Unit for Special Investigators, which is associated with the Windham County State's Attorney's office.
The pornographic materials were found in a purple plastic storage container and police immediately suspected Achenbach, since it was found close to his home and some documents in the box contained Achenbach's name, and were marked with the initials EA, according to court records. There was also a photograph of Achenbach standing in front of a 1981 Deerfield Elementary School class, where he previously taught.
Windham County State's Attorney Tracy Kelly Shriver said there was no evidence at this time that showed that Achenbach created any of the pornography, which in some cases showed infants involved in sexual acts with adults.
Shriver said some of the photographs had obviously been altered to show Achenbach's face digitally inserted into the pornography.
Inside the container were four binders and other materials, including multiple photographs that were labeled "Babies" or "Fifteen," and appeared to be naked infants and young children up to their early or mid-teens, the court affidavits stated.
There were also photographs of sexually explicit acts with minors as well.
Last Thursday, police met with Achenbach at his home and he identified the plastic container as his and said he had put it in the ground seven or eight years ago, when he moved from Dover to Vernon.
He said he had obtained a large amount of the material while a teacher at the downtown campus, which at the time was on Main Street in downtown Brattleboro.
Police executed a search warrant of Achenbach's home and took several computer hard drives, which Achenbach told detectives contained child pornography.
One of the two deer hunters, who are from Vernon, said he discovered the plastic container when they were moving a deer stand for the upcoming muzzle-loader hunting season.
The hunters said they came across a wooden platform with some loose boards. When they moved the planks, they discovered a black plastic bag and the purple-colored container inside. There was a black rope around the plastic container.
The hunters told investigators they opened the container, saw the materials and put it back under the planks, and then contacted police.
Attorney Jesse Corum represented Achenbach at his arraignment, Shriver said.
Contact Susan Smallheer at susan.smallheer@rutlandherald.com.
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