Green Bay Press Gazette - High School staff member faces child porn charges

Posted Oct. 14, 2000

High School staff member faces child porn charges

De Pere places employee on paid leave By Mike Hoeft and Andy Nelesen A De Pere High School staff member was charged Friday with possession of child pornography after he allegedly showed it to a college intern. Thomas Janiak, 51, director of media services for the school, has been placed on paid administrative leave and was in Brown County intake court Friday. If convicted, Janiak could face five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He was released from jail Friday on a signature bond. "We took the most appropriate action and temporarily removed him from the workplace pending completion of our investigation," De Pere School Superintendent Richard Yenchesky said Friday. "That's the normal procedure," he said. He stressed that the reports are allegations. "We are not aware that any students were involved," Yenchesky added. A 19 year old man reported Janiak made unwanted sexual advances toward him, according to court records filed Friday in connection with a search warrant of Janiak's home. The man, a college intern working at the school, said he went to Janiak's home in August to help Janiak move. During the move, Janiak allegedly showed the intern a hardcovered book with black and white pictures of children involved in sex acts, according to the criminal complaint filed Friday. Janiak showed the book to Brown County Sheriff's Department investigators when they came to his Fox Croft Drive home Thursday. Janiak was arrested and jailed late Thursday. A school laptop computer that Janiak used was found to contain a variety of pornographic entries, court files said. Police and school district officials will conduct separate investigations. Janiak is expected back in court Wednesday. Janiak was hired by the De Pere School District in November 1997 as interim director of technology. He later became a full time director of media services in June 1998.