Former Special Needs Teacher In Garland Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charge

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A former teacher of special need students at Garland High School, pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to one count of transportation of child pornography.

Kirk Patrick Keshler faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. He will remain in custody pending sentencing which is set for April 4, 2018, the U.S. Attorney's Office Northern District of Texas said in a news release Tuesday.

According to the plea agreement, Keshler used the internet and a peer-to-peer file-sharing account to send and receive visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

On August 16, 2017, law enforcement received a search warrant for Keshler's home in Garland. While conducting the search of the residence, law enforcement entered the master bedroom of the home and located a nude, realistic-looking child size doll lying on the floor of a closet with a wig covering the face of the doll.

Authorities also saw in the master bedroom a large television connected to a laptop that was open on the screen showing that Keshler was actively viewing child exploitative movies when law enforcement made contact at his residence.

A forensic review of the seized laptop computer revealed more than 10,000 images and 3,000 videos involving toddler aged children to early and pubescent teens, both boys and girls, engaged in sexual activity with adults and other children.

Some of the child pornography files depict sadistic and masochistic content and bestiality.

Law enforcement also seized several pairs of girl's panties in various child sizes.