A former high school math teacher from Virginia Beach, Va., is being accused of possessing child porn, just months after pleading guilty to spanking a female student.
Michael Shanklin, 38, was indicted by a federal grand jury after investigators found at least one image of child pornography on his computer, WAVY-TV reported.
The charge comes after Shanklin already pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery of a minor, stemming from a Jan. 18 incident where he spanked a female student with his belt, HamptonRoads.com reported. He is awaiting a verdict on a felony abduction charge related to the same incident.
If convicted of the child porn charge, Shanklin could be facing 20 years in prison, DailyPress.com reported.
The discovery of the child porn on Shanklin's computer came during an investigation of the spanking incident, which, according to court testimony, occurred with a 15-year-old in his freshman geometry class at Landstown High School. The student testified that during a tutoring session, Shanklin threatened to paddle her if she didn't do well in his class, according to HamptonRoads.com. She didn't think he was serious, until he ordered her friend to leave, closed the door, covered the window with a poster and removed his belt.
He had her bend over and struck her 24 times with the belt before letting her go with a hug.
The student reported the abuse to the school nurse who photographed welts on the victim's buttocks. After her testimony, Shanklin, who resigned shortly after the incident, admitted spanking the student, but said he did not abduct her, as she could have left the classroom at any time.
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