Boise School District reaction

BOISE - The former Borah High School teacher who was placed on administrative leave – and later resigned – admitted possessing child pornography.

Neil, 41, taught economics classes at the school, and also coached the tennis team.

Neil’s admitted use of child pornography turned up during an unrelated investigation by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents.  Federal prosecutors say Neil’s credit card and home e-mail had been used to buy access to child porn websites.  Pornography was found on a laptop issued to him by the Boise School District.

Prosecutors say the activity dates back as far as 2002.

Agents served a search warrant on Neil’s home on September 5th of last year.  They say that one of his computers was downloading a video featuring teenage male when they entered the house.

The agents combed over two laptop computers – and found more than 50 images of young boys engaging in sex acts.  Some of the boys were pre-pubescent. They also found at least six videos.

The federal prosecutor says the children featured in the images are from Florida, Texas, Alabama and Russia – all outside Idaho.

Another computer in Neil’s possession contained hundreds of images, but he does not face charges since the ages of the people on that computer could not be determined. If you have information that could identify the people in the images, call ICE at 685-6674.

“Some predators mistakenly believe the anonymity of cyberspace shields them from scrutiny; in fact, their use of computers and the Internet have given us new tools in our enforcement efforts to protect children,” ICE special agent in charge Leigh Winchell  said in a prepared statement. “ICE remains committed to investigating this type of on-line activity to prevent the exploitation of children.”

ICE and Boise Police worked together on the investigation.

Neil taught at the school for more than a decade, and district officials put him on administrative leave on September 5th – just after the school year began.  Neil resigned December 19th. He will be sentenced May 14th, and faces up to ten years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.