Former St. Augustine High School teacher Ryan Bennett Segura pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal charge of distributing child sexual abuse material and is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 14. Before his arrest, Segura taught religion and served as the head track-and-field coach at the North Park Catholic school, which placed him on administrative leave once the investigation became public. The plea closes a criminal case that federal agents say began with online exchanges of sexually explicit videos last year.
Plea details
According to a plea agreement filed in federal court, Segura admitted that on a specific occasion in September 2024, he shared three videos that prosecutors say showed minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The agreement states he sent the material to a social-media user who lives outside California. Court paperwork also notes that Segura told agents he viewed this type of material “every couple of months” but said he stopped around March 2025. As reported by 10News.
How investigators say the case unfolded
Prosecutors say the investigation started after another man was arrested in Denver last fall. A forensic review of that man’s devices allegedly turned up exchanges with a social-media account that led federal agents to Segura. Investigators say they tied a phone number used by Segura to the account and highlighted chat messages, including a reply of "Yng" (short for "young"), as part of what helped them identify the San Diego teacher. According to the Times of San Diego.
Court fight and school response
During detention hearings last year, prosecutors told a judge that Segura had also shared nonsexual photos of students with another man and discussed being sexually attracted to those students. A magistrate judge ordered him held without bail. St. Augustine’s leadership has said the school placed Segura on administrative leave and is cooperating with the FBI while carrying out its own internal review. As reported by NBC 7 San Diego.
Legal consequences
Under federal law, distributing or receiving child sexual abuse material is treated as a serious felony. For a first conviction under the relevant statutes, the law generally sets a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and allows for a maximum of 20 years. People convicted of these offenses also face lengthy terms of supervised release, mandatory sex-offender registration and the possibility of paying restitution to victims, according to federal guidance. See LII / Cornell Law and the U.S. Department of Justice for statute and sentencing details.
Sentencing and next steps
Segura is scheduled to return to federal court for sentencing on Aug. 14, 2026, when a judge will weigh the government’s recommendation alongside the applicable federal sentencing guidelines. The case remains active as prosecutors prepare their written submissions ahead of that hearing, while the school and federal investigators continue their separate reviews. As reported by 10News.
