Former Rockville HS Teacher Pleads Guilty To State Porn, Risk Charges

VERNON, CT — A former teacher at Rockville High School has entered a guilty plea in a state child pornography case.

Tolland Judicial District State's Attorney Matthew C. Gedansky said that Christian Stevenson, 54, of Vernon, pleaded guilty Friday in Rockville Superior Court to charges that include first-degree possession of child pornography and three counts of risk of injury to a child.

Stevenson's pleas follow his arrest in October 2021 after a lengthy investigation by Vernon police Det. Thomas Van Tasel acting on a tip about suspected child pornography being accessed within the town.

After receiving information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and executing multiple search warrants, it was discovered that Stevenson was importing and accessing child pornography on his personal online accounts. The material included both still images, and an electronic video file, Gedansky said.

At the time, Stevenson was a teacher at Rockville High School and served as the school's golf coach.

After executing additional search warrants, Van Tasel learned that Stevenson had taken covert photographs of multiple female students within RHS and even in his classroom, Gedansky said. He also accessed students' social media accounts and downloaded their images, all without their knowledge, he added.

Gedansky said many of the photographs "focused on the private areas of the students."

Stevenson is scheduled to be sentenced in Rockville Superior Court on June 21.

Pursuant to a plea agreement, Stevenson faces a total effective sentence of 20 years, execution of that sentence to be suspended after the service of seven-to-nine years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation, Gedansky said.

Stevenson will be required to register with the Connecticut Sexual Offender Registry for a period of 10 years.

Stevenson's employment at the school ended shortly after his arrest.

The case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Jaclyn Preville.

Stevenson has been in custody at Garner Correctional Institution in Newtown on bonds totaling $175,000 since his arrest, judicial system records show.