SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – A former Huron Middle School staff member who was arrested for child porn in February has now been indicted on 20 total child pornography charges.
A DCI investigation revealed that 58-year-old Richard Hotchkiss had over 30 images depicting child porn on his phone, with the activity dating back to 2015.
Hotchiss was formerly a middle school special education para-educator, according to the agenda for the March 9 Huron School District School Board agenda. Hotchiss’ resignation was accepted and approved by the school board on March 9. It was effective Feb. 24, according to the agenda.
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Hotchkiss was indicted on March 6 on 15 counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of distributing child pornography, according to the SD Attorney General’s Office. Porn images were found on a phone owned by Hotchkiss in early February.
The Huron School District Superintendent Dr. Kraig Steinhoff responded on Feb. 25 to the investigation.
“The investigation is ongoing, and we don’t believe at this time that Huron School District students were involved,” Steinhoff said in a statement released on Feb. 25.
He’s being held on a $10,000 cash bond, and his next court appearance is March 24. The Beadle County State’s Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
