Police Blotter: Rialto Teacher, Former Highland Resident, Arrested Over Child Porn

According to a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department news release, on Tuesday, March 29, 2011, Rialto Police Department received information that suggested Michael J. Edmondson, age 32, was furnishing narcotics to juveniles and may be in possession of child pornography. It was determined that the crimes occurred between October 2010 and February 2011 in the Highland area, at Edmondson’s former residence. The Sheriff’s Crimes Against Children Detail was called to investigate.

The San Bernardino County Sun is reporting Edmondson is a social studies and drama teacher at Frisbie Middle School in Rialto.

On March 30, 2011, Sheriff’s Investigators made contact with a male juvenile who is believed to be a victim. The juvenile disclosed that Edmondson provided him with illegal narcotics and requested the victim send him video and photos of his genital area. Later that day, Investigators made contact with Edmondson and served a search warrant at his home in Rancho Cucamonga. At the conclusion of the interview, Edmondson was arrested and booked at Central Detention Center and bail was set at $100,000.

Investigators recovered computer equipment and other electronic devices at Edmondson’s home. The evidence collected will be sent to the Sheriff’s Hi-Tech Crime Detail for forensic examination.

Edmondson is scheduled for arraignment on Monday, April 4, 2011 in Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court.

Investigators believe there could be other victims and urge anyone with information to contact the Sheriff’s Crimes Against Children Detail, Detective Tyson Niles at (909)387-3615.

EVWD To Proceed With Plans For New District HQ

The San Bernardino Sun is reporting that the board of East Valley Water District has decided to push forward on plans to build a new $25 million headquarters, despite complaints from district customers that now may not be the best time to pursue such a large project.

Dozens of customers gathered at City Hall last week during a public hearing on proposed rate increases averaging 10 percent. The board ultimately voted to increase water rates 12.5 percent and sewer eight percent.

Customers complained that with the slumping economy, now may not be the best time for embarking on such large-scale project, and that the district should make do with what it has. MORE>>

Why is it government agencies thumb their noses at the public like this? While everyone else is cutting back, they boost rates and set about building themselves a taj mahal. No doubt this expansion is based on the District's current and projected water usage in the area. We all need to conserve even more to skew their projections.

NOTE: Hurry up and read this story on The Sun's web site. After 10-15 days you'll need to pay to access their archives. Bigger papers don't do that.

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