FORMER BRONX TEACHER GETS 7 YEARS IN PRISON IN CHILD PORN CASE

A former Bronx high school teacher who pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography has beensentenced to seven years in prison.

Jon Cruz was sentenced in Manhattan federal court on Thursday. Authorities said he paid at leastfive victims in different states to send him sexually explicit pictures while he was employed as ateacher and debate coach at Bronx High School for Science.

Prosecutors say the 34-year-old Manhattan resident carried out the crimes from July 2014 throughDecember 2015 on a school computer. They said he posted a picture of a former student as he enticedteenage boys to send him photographs, sometimes nude.

Cruz’s lawyer, Steve Zissou, said his client has taken full responsibility for his actionsand was making significant progress in therapy.

Message from Executive Director Laura A. Ahearn: Parents for Megan's Law and the Crime VictimsCenter provides prevention education, advocacy, counseling and other valuable support services tochild and adult victims of sexual assault and to all victims of violent crime. Please visit ourwebsite at www.parentsformeganslaw.org for news, information and resources in your community.

Former Bronx teacher gets 7 years in prison in child porn case