A North Texas educator was arrested Thursday on charges related to the alleged possession and intended promotion of child pornography.
Corey Bankston, a teacher with the Greenville High School’s robotics program, is potentially facing up to 30 years in prison after the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office formally charged him with one count of possession of child pornography and four counts of possession with intent to promote child pornography on December 14. His bond was set at $320,000.
An email was sent to Greenville ISD parents informing them of Bankston’s arrest and subsequent placement on administrative leave.
Bankston reportedly came to the attention of law enforcement during a multi-agency investigation led by the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville ISD Police Department, the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Rangers. Three search warrants were executed at a residence in the 3200 block of Keri Lane in Greenville. More charges may still be pending, according to the local sheriff, but the authorities are aiming to wrap up their investigation in a timely manner.
“I will not tolerate predators preying on any child,” said Hunt County Sheriff Terry Jones, according to the Herald Banner. “Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but if you are found guilty of this type of crime, there is not a long enough sentence that can be served.”
A similar incident recently transpired at a higher education institution. Clinton Harnden, a senior administrative coordinator for Texas A&M University’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, was arrested by the FBI in November on child porn charges. Although Harnden’s employment status was initially murky, the university eventually confirmed that it had released him after conducting an internal investigation.
Several educators and staff members in North Texas school systems have been accused of improper conduct, ranging from soliciting sex from a prostitute to child sexual assault. At Dallas ISD alone, three employees were arrested on allegations of crimes committed against students earlier this year, as covered by The Dallas Express.
Crimes against minors have also been a serious issue in Dallas, where a significant police shortage has dampened efforts to lower crime rates.
As of December 17, there had been 54 pornography/obscene material offenses committed within Dallas city limits, according to the City of Dallas crime analytics dashboard. There have also been 712 sex offenses logged, with the current median age of victims sitting at 16 years old.