A Halifax County Early College teacher was arrested today at Raleigh-Durham International Airport while awaiting a flight to Japan and served a warrant for second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
The charge reflects the transmission of child pornography being shared through Instagram by 36-year-old Jestoni Jumaquio Pestaño to a user in the Philippines, Captain Scott Hall of the Halifax County Sheriff’s said.
There is no evidence that students received any pornographic photos.
Halifax County Schools said the teacher was suspended Monday due to the investigation, which Hall said began after a report was received on February 15 that child pornography was being shared in Halifax County through Instagram.
Hall said investigators learned the media was being sent from a local IP address. Pestaño was living in Roanoke Rapids.
Multiple search warrants were obtained and executed at the school and the residence of Pestaño.
The Department of Homeland Security was notified and assisted in the investigation.
And today sheriff’s office detectives, the RDU Police Department and Homeland Security agents took Pestaño into custody as he waited for the flight to Japan.
While Hall said it was undetermined his purpose for flying to Japan, Pestaño was jailed in the Halifax County Detention Center without the opportunity for bond due to being a potential flight risk.
Pestaño was served with the exploitation warrant which had been obtained by Detective Sergeant C. Watkins.
Pestaño has a Tuesday district court date in Halifax County.
Hall said investigators have not determined how many depictions of child pornography were sent and the matter is being handled through the state court system.