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NewsFriday, May 16, 2008 6:32 PM CDT
Ex-sub teacher gets 10 years for porn charges
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PEORIA -- A former substitute teacher at several area schools was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal pornography charges.

Scott Southerland, 49, of the 1400 block of South Oak Street, pleaded guilty in January to possessing and receiving child pornography.

Southerland taught at Atlanta Elementary School in 2000 and was a substitute teacher in Unit 5, District 87 and Farmer City’s Blue Ridge school district.

The McLean County investigation involving Southerland started after a housekeeper brought to police photos she took on her cell phone of materials she found in Southerland’s home. Police reports indicate that the images depicted young boys in sexual acts with men.

Charges were filed in federal court after similar counts were leveled against the former teacher in McLean County. The local charges were dismissed after federal counts were filed.

In Tuesday’s sentencing hearing he also was fined $2,500.

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Reader comments on this story - 8 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

from housekeeper wrote on May 16, 2008 3:19 PM:

" Scott got what was coming to him but i think he needs more time than what he got them pictures will for every be in my head no child should every have to do that it's sick and for some of them people that wrote about this when it was in here last time saying its k to do this you are sick to what would you have done if this was one of your kids. all I can say is that i did the right thing "

normalbob wrote on May 16, 2008 12:55 PM:

" 94mustang5,
You're right he was only charged with a pornography crime. But anyone who has that trash on his computer obviously finds it interesting. It is REALLY likely that he will act it out sooner or later. Fortunately where he is going someone will be able to show him some new variations on that theme. "

foreverillini07 wrote on May 16, 2008 10:52 AM:

" "Dave" I highly disagree with your statements about men teaching lower grade levels, to think that a man wants to teach young children so he can molest them or worse is completely absurd. How about you go back and look at cases like the Mary Kay Letourneau case in which a grown WOMAN molested a 13 year old boy?
Women are just as capable as men of taking advantage of their position as a teacher of young children. Sickos don't discriminate, they can exist anywhere!! "

JimmyChooGirl wrote on May 16, 2008 10:11 AM:

" I'm very glad this pervert is behind bars but...there have been molesters, pedophiles, etc that have actually touched & done more to children that have gotten far less than 10 years. I just wish our justice system would wake up and plea deals were off the tables for criminals. Did their victims get deals? Nope! "

94mustang5 wrote on May 16, 2008 9:20 AM:

" Remember, this was for porn possession only. There are no allegations of contact as there were with Mr White. "

Dave wrote on May 16, 2008 8:36 AM:

" I believe any man who wants to teach kids below the HS level should be scrutinized very thoroughly.
Pedophiles and perverts infiltrate the lower school levels because that's where the kids are.
There have been enough cases like this lately a red flag should be raised by administrations to cause them to keep their eyes opened.
"

bullfrog wrote on May 16, 2008 6:51 AM:

" It should have been 60 years like White got!!!!!!!!! "

gwreck wrote on May 16, 2008 5:40 AM:

" And yet another pervert is where they belong. I hope the bar is raised for screening by school officials so things like this can be avoided. We have far too many pedophiles and sickos in our school system in the guise of teachers, counselors, and something needs to be done. "

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