Sixth-grade Fresno teacher arrested in child abuse porn case. Sheriff warns parents

A teacher at a Fresno Unified elementary school was arrested Thursday and booked into jail after the Fresno County Sheriff reported that he was in possession of child sexual abuse material.

Hunter Carlis, 30, was taken into custody after investigators with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force found that illegal pornographic files were shared from a home where detectives contacted Carlis, said sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti.

Electronic devices containing images of naked children were seized, said Botti.

Carlis served as a substitute in the district from September 2020 to August 2021, and as a teacher at Ayer Elementary since.

Fresno Unified released this statement:

“As soon as we became aware of the arrest, Mr. Carlis was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. His arrest, based on the felony charge, is deeply disturbing. All behavior by Fresno Unified staff should have the highest standards of professionalism. The misconduct that led to these charges is absolutely unacceptable for anyone, especially an educator.

“Student safety is a top priority for the district and as such, we are fully cooperating with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and will continue to do so throughout the course of its investigation. We’re taking measures to ensure classes are not disrupted and additional support staff will be on campus for students and staff.”

Botti said that there is the possibility that Carlis had previously unreported inappropriate contact with children and asked that parents who are aware of such incidents contact detective Oscar Rivas at 559-487-6019, or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-STOP.