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Ex-school worker arrested on child porn charges

Posted at 2:15 PM, Nov 02, 2012
and last updated 2012-11-02 23:39:40-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – An investigation into an international child porn ring has led to the arrest of a Central Virginia school employee on child pornography charges.

Michael Winston Baynes, who recently resigned from the Steward School in western Henrico, was arrested on Oct. 22.

Baynes, 59, of Hollandale Road in Henrico County, is accused of receiving child porn movies in the mail. During the course of the investigation, authorities found a homemade movie that included Baynes and a male under the age of 18, according to court documents.

The movies, filmed between 1992 and 1993, appear to be taken with a hidden camera, investigators said. In the movies Baynes asks the child to remove his clothes. He also "purports to educate him [the child] about sex and teach him how to protect himself from attackers."

Police also found photo albums and CDs filled with pictures of young boys dating back to the early 1980s. The boys were photographed at school bus stops, pools and in the bleachers of athletic events Investigators said it appeared the children had no idea they were being photographed.

The Steward School released a statement Friday saying Baynes had resigned after telling them he was under investigation.

Headmaster Ken Seward said Baynes, a member of the school's athletic and maintenance staff, told administrators that he was being investigates by the U.S. Postal Service and resigned on Oct. 17.

Seward pointed out that that there have been no allegations of misconduct on Steward School property.  Seward also said the school is fully cooperating with federal investigators.

In addition to his job at Steward, Baynes maintained athletic fields for Henrico County from 1974 to 2011 and volunteered at Tuckahoe Little League.

CBS 6 News' Lorenzo Hall went to Baynes' parents house, where he must stay under the condition of his bond, Friday. His parents said Baynes cannot comment on the charges because of  a directive from his lawyer.

Stay with WTVR.com and watch CBS 6 News for the latest developments on this story.