Prosecutors leveled child molestation and child pornography charges at a teacher accused of taking inappropriate photos of students at a prestigious private academy in Calabasas where President Trump’s daughter is an alum.
Prosecutors charged Travis Shojinaga, 39, a teacher at the Viewpoint School, with four counts of misdemeanor child molestation and one count of felony possession of child phonography after Shojinaga was arrested Wednesday, court documents show.
Shojinaga is currently being held at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s station and was set to be arraigned sometime Friday. He faces more than three years in prison if convicted.
The $55,000-a-year school announced in a statement to parents that a faculty member had been fired for “inappropriate behavior that occurred on campus” that did not involve physical contact.
Viewpoint Head of School Mark McKee said in the letter that administrators contacted police as soon as they learned of the accusations against Shojinaga.
“The employee was subsequently taken into custody, and his employment has been terminated,” McKee said.
McKee said the academy is working with law enforcement and it will conduct its own investigation with an outside party.
According to his Facebook profile, Shojinaga worked at the Viewpoint School for more than a decade.
Graduates of the Viewpoint School include President Trump’s youngest daughter, Tiffany, and former NBA player Miye Oni.
In his statement, McKee offered counseling to students and encouraged them to come forward if they had any concerns.
“We understand this situation is deeply upsetting,” McKee wrote. “We will be making resources, including counseling, available for anyone in our community who may need support.”
