Police: Tucson High teacher arrested in child exploitation case

A Tucson High teacher has been arrested on suspicion of child exploitation after authorities say his home computer contained provocative images of young children.

Tucson police on Tuesday searched the home of James Hyrum Badger, 45, a teacher at the TUSD high school. During the search, police say the found a “large amount” of images showing children under the age of 15 in explicit poses.

Police said 171 images were downloaded between Oct. 19 and Oct 20. Additional images were also recovered, according to an interim complaint filed in Pima County Justice Court.

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TUSD said hiring documents show that the employee cleared the required background check and currently holds a valid state fingerprint clearance card.

“We want to reassure our community that this alleged incident does not reflect the policies, values, or standards of behavior that we expect from our staff members,” TUSD said in a written statement. “We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students.

Badger was arrested in suspicion of 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. His bond was set at $150,000 during his initial court appearance. He also was to have no internet access or contact with minors.