Alabama law classifies possession with intent to disseminate child sexual abuse material as a felony.
Calera Intermediate serves roughly 770 students in grades 3 through 5, according to K12 Job Spot, and is part of the broader Shelby County School District, which oversees 33 schools.
A Months-Long Digital Investigation
A Months-Long Digital Investigation The investigation began in early May 2025. Officials said they have no information suggesting the images were produced in or near Shelby County, and they cautioned that additional charges may follow as the investigation continues.
Alabama law treats cases like this with layered severity. Simple possession of child sexual abuse material is a Class C felony punishable by one year and one day to 10 years in prison, but according to The People's Defender, possession with intent to disseminate is elevated to a Class B felony carrying 2 to 20 years in prison. Under Alabama Code § 13A-12-192, transferring such material to an application, program, or storage site accessible by other users can serve as prima facie evidence of intent to disseminate, according to Justia Law.
Sheriff's Office Response
Sheriff John Samaniego said the office would work to stop the transmission or receipt of the material. Investigator Ian Fleming's number is 205-670-6153.
In May 2026, the agency added an Electronic Storage Detection K-9 named Onyx, trained by the U.S. Secret Service to sniff out concealed digital storage devices during these kinds of searches, according to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.
Collateral Consequences and Credential Review
A felony conviction for possessing or distributing this material in Alabama carries mandatory lifetime registration on the state's sex offender registry, per The People's Defender.
Calera has also seen another arrest of this kind: the Shelby County Sheriff's Office arrested Calera resident Nicholas Elton Costas on 20 counts of CSAM possession. Shelby County has also seen a string of other child exploitation cases this year, including a separate Calera rape case earlier this month. Separately, a math teacher was charged with 40 counts in Shelbyville, Kentucky in August.
