Elementary School Custodian Charged with Child Porn

A custodian at the in Toms River has been arrested on child pornography charges.

Stephen Tisch, 27, of Waretown was arrested this morning after members of the Ocean Township police and Ocean County Prosecutor's Office High Tech Crimes Unit executed a search warrant on his Dock Avenue home, Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford said.

Tisch is alleged to have distributed pornographic images of children.

“Tisch is employed as a custodian at the Walnut Street Elementary School in Toms River, and apparently has been so employed for the past seven years.  At this point there is no evidence that any children at the elementary school have been in contact with the defendant, or that any of the children are the subject of any images," Ford said.

"However, the Toms River Regional School District has been advised of this arrest, and I have been assured that Superintendent (Frank) Roselli is taking appropriate action to notify parents."

Tisch is currently in custody at the Ocean County Jail after he was charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. Superior Court Judge Ronald Hoffman set bail at $75,000, no 10 percent option.

If Tisch were to make bail, he is prohibited from accessing the Internet or having unsupervised contact with children, Ford said.

Tisch is now suspended from his job, according to Toms River Regional.

Toms River Regional Schools said the distribution could not have occurred on school property or using the school's technology.

"At no time did any of these activities occur on District property. The technology filters we have in place do not allow access to  pornographic sites from any of our computers," said Superintendent Frank Roselli in a statement released at 7 p.m.

Roselli said that following the arrest, a meeting was held with faculty and staff at Walnut Street School. Calls to parents were planned throughout the evening and the district created a page on its website for updates.

"This afternoon (4/26/12) Principal Kevin Smith and Interim Assistant Superintendent Mr. Pizza met with the faculty and staff at the school," Roselli said. "We will be placing a phone call to all Walnut Street parents this evening as well as putting a statement on our web site."

“Upon notification of the arrest, the district has suspended the individual from all contact with the organization until the charges are resolved. The custodian  has been employed by the district for seven years and passed the background check required by the State of NJ when he was hired," Roselli said.

Anyone with information relating to the investigation is encouraged to contact Detective James Hill of the Prosecutor's Office at 732-929-2027.

Editor's note: Click here to read the district's statement.