Kansas City substitute teacher charged with possessing child pornography

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) -- A former local substitute teacher, once investigated for taking pictures of female students, is now charged with possession of child pornography.

Shawn McNair has been charged with five counts of possession of child pornography.

McNair was arrested by sheriff's deputies outside of his home in Lake Tapawingo on Tuesday afternoon.

Court records state that investigators found 31 pictures and 293 videos of suspected child porn on McNair's cellphone and computer. That child porn was reported to depict young girls estimated to be 7 to 11 years old, doing inappropriate things to themselves. In some, it was reportedly at the direction of a male voice.

When detectives first questioned McNair about his alleged involvement with child porn, court records sat McNair said he, "has received inappropriate pictures, does not seek them out and does not send inappropriate pictures to anyone because he is against that." In the same interview, McNair admitted to having child porn on his phone.

In a second interview, court records say that McNair denied ever touching children but, "admitted to speaking with children online because some had been abused and needed help," and "explained some of the conversations were explicit and that he had exchanged nude pictures in the conversations."

McNair told investigators that he had previously been investigated by the Blue Springs Freshman Center in the 2016-2017 school year for taking pictures of female students, had been cleared but was no longer allowed to work at the school.

McNair was also a substitute teacher at the Grain Valley School District from August 2016 to September 2018, where he taught in the lower, middle and high school. In some instances he also worked as paraprofessional with special needs students.

According to the Blue Springs School District, McNair's last day of service with the district was January 10, 2020.