Crime & Safety

Pace Teacher Arrested for Possession of Child Porn

The teacher taught at the private school for seven years and was arrested in connection with a multi-year federal investigation.

A fine arts teacher at Pace Academy was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography in connection with a multi-year federal investigation.

Pace Academy school officials said they learned Monday of the arrest of Joey Villemez, who was the middle and upper school fine arts teacher for the last seven years, according to 11 Alive. A letter notifying parents was sent home with students on Monday afternoon.

Villemez was fired from his position once school officials learned of the charges.

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School officials will meet with students on Tuesday to discuss Villemez and the charges.

The letter sent home to parents is posted below in its entirety:

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Dear Parents,

I am writing this email with a truly heavy heart. Earlier today, I was made aware of a very sad and distressing situation involving a Pace Academy faculty member. Middle and Upper School Fine Arts teacher Joey Villemez has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornographic images, which were purchased from his home computer. These images came to light as a result of a multi-year federal investigation, which we learned about today.

Mr. Villemez is no longer employed by Pace Academy. We are cooperating with federal agents as they continue their investigation. I want to stress to you that, according to federal investigators, Mr. Villemez has not involved any current or former Pace students in this situation, and there is no evidence of inappropriate physical contact between Mr. Villemez and Pace students or other children. Mr. Villemez has no record of previous criminal activity.

Our faculty was made aware of the situation immediately after school today, and we will meet with students in the Middle and Upper Schools tomorrow morning. The emotional wellbeing of our students is our primary concern at this time. This news is incredibly shocking and upsetting to all of us in the Pace community, and we know that healing will take time.

We also know that this will be difficult to explain to students, but I believe that it is best to be clear and honest with them. I would advise every parent to use his or her discretion in discussing these matters with their children; however, as much as we might want to shield them from the situation, this may serve as an opportunity to discuss the pervasive issue of pornography in our culture. I also encourage you to bring any concerns to my attention immediately.

We are working with our faculty, counselors and outside experts to ensure that we are prepared to handle any questions or issues that arise as a result of this situation. Please know that our counselors and administrators are available for students and parents with questions or concerns.

We will continue to share pertinent information as it becomes available and welcome questions during this difficult time.


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