Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Ex-Tower Hill headmaster appeals child porn sentence

Delaware Public Media
Christopher Wheeler is challenging his child pornography conviction

The former headmaster of the Tower Hill School is challenging his child pornography conviction.

 

In court papers filed Monday, Christopher Wheeler’s attorney argues that authorities used possible witness tampering as a pretext to obtain warrants to search Wheeler's computers for child pornography, violating his constitutional protections from unreasonable searches and seizures.

 

 

A 2013 Child Predator Task Force investigation turned up multiple images of child pornography on computers and other digital media at Wheeler’s school owned home and office.

 

The 55-year old Wheeler was sentenced to 50 years in prison earlier this year after being convicted on 25 counts of dealing in child pornography. He waived his right to a jury trial after a judge denied a defense motion to suppress evidence seized by police.

 

In March of this year, Tower Hill released the results of an internal investigation of its former headmaster.  In a letter sent to parents and posted on the school’s website, school officials say investigators found no evidence of any abuse by Dr. Wheeler at Tower Hill or any indication that anyone at the school knew that he was engaged in child pornography.   

School officials say they have since implemented training of faculty and staff in the prevention, identification and response to and reporting of child abuse.

 

Related Content