Child porn suspect worked as SCICON counselor

Matthew Jones was a counselor at the camp and has been arrested on child pornography charges.

Every week, fifth and sixth grade students from Tulare County fill the grounds here on SCICON's campus, exploring nature and learning about wildlife.

This week, while children were enjoying their 5-day stay here, Tulare County Sheriff's Deputies were investigating child pornography files found on a camp counselor's computer.

Lt. Rob Schimpf said, "Yesterday afternoon during our investigation we were able to collect a laptop digital camera and cell phone of the suspect."

Sheriff's officials were alerted to the case after other SCICON employees noticed suspicious video files on their computers' media players. All computer users can access SCICON's wireless internet network.

SCICON Director, Rick Mitchell said, "And apparently there's some kind of shared media library that people can share and they said Rick this kind of looks like pornography."

Internet specialists with the Tulare County Office of Education were able to link the illegal downloaded files to Matthew Jones' personal laptop here on the SCICON campus.

Rick Mitchell insists Jones was never alone with any children on campus. Sheriff's investigators have informed him that no students at the camp were involved in any of the images found on Jones' computer.

"It went from a mysterious feeling and what's -- where are these files coming from -- to a sickening feeling to think one of your own trusted staff members is engaged in internet files like this." Rick Mitchell said.

Mitchell is shocked by the findings, adding Jones underwent a thorough background check and came highly recommended from a university in Wales, England.

Jones had been working at the camp for ten months, often leading educational workshops, evening campfires and games.

Matthew Jones is expected to be arraigned on Monday on child pornography charges. Since he is a resident of the United Kingdom, immigration services have been notified of his arrest.