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- A Canyons School District bus driver, Val Whitehead, faces charges of possessing child sex abuse material.
- The Utah Internet Crimes Against Children task force reported that it traced uploads to Whitehead's home.
- The school district said Thursday he is no longer employed with the district.
MIDVALE — A criminal charge was filed Thursday against a Canyons School District bus driver accused of possessing child sex abuse material.
Val Whitehead, 69, of Midvale, is charged in 3rd District Court with sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony.
The investigation began in June when the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children task force received a tip of child sex abuse material being uploaded. Detectives eventually determined that the photos were being uploaded at Whitehead's home, according to charging documents.
Investigators went to the home and found a laptop in a shed in the backyard.
"Whitehead's family members confirmed Whitehead was the only person who had access to the shed, kept it locked, and kept the keys on (him). His family members further described that Whitehead spent much of his time in the shed with himself locked inside, and the family members would be required to knock on the shed to speak with him," the charges state.
A search of the laptop revealed videos, including one titled "bus drivers having sex with girls," according to the charges.
Whitehead was arrested last week. The school district issued a brief statement following his arrest saying, "The employee has been placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation. Canyons District will fully cooperate with police investigating the allegations."
On Thursday, the district stated that Whitehead was no longer employed by them.
"We appreciate the exhaustive investigation that helped lead to the filing of this charge. As this investigation is ongoing, we expect prosecutors to get a better understanding of the activities that the defendant was engaged with to ensure he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement Thursday.
