Child porn allegedly found on teacher’s phone

A substitute teacher for the Santa Rosa School District was arrested Thursday after a Homeland Security investigation allegedly turned up child pornography on the man’s cellphone, according to a statement from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation began after Ethan Monroe Morse, 39, sent photos of young girls to an adult woman with concerning sexual comments and she contacted the Homeland Security Investigations tip line, according to sheriff’s deputies.

Investigating agents learned that Morse was working as a teacher and served a search at his home on Camellia Court Thursday afternoon with the assistance of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office’s Domestic Violence / Sexual Assault Investigations unit.

A cellphone was seized along with other electronic devices, and a forensic analyst allegedly located child pornography on his phone, according to deputies.

Morse was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Jail on $30,000 bail. He’s since bailed out and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning, deputies said.

The Santa Rosa School District has been notified of Morse’s arrest, according to deputies.

Homeland Security is asking anyone with additional information to call (866) 347-2423. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s tipline can be reached at (707) 565-2185.