A Los Angeles high school teacher, Rene Gregorio Estrella, has been implicated in a child pornography case involving former Redlands planning commissioner Steven Frasher, according to a search warrant affidavit. Estrella, who is now banned from teaching at the School of Business and Tourism at Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, was arrested on October 18 based on data collected from Frasher’s cellphone. The affidavit alleges that the two men exchanged multiple photos of adult and child pornography, with Estrella allegedly sending suggestive photos of girls from the school campus to Frasher.
The affidavit also states that Estrella would take pictures of female students at Miguel Contreras without their knowledge, specifically focusing on their attire. These photos were then shared with Frasher, who would discuss the girls’ appearance with Estrella. Police believe that Frasher supplied Estrella with child pornography tailored to his preferences.
Both men were booked on suspicion of possessing child pornography by the San Bernardino Police Department. However, they have not been criminally charged as the case is still under investigation. The police have not yet submitted the case to the District Attorney’s Office for review.
Officials from the Los Angeles Unified School District have prohibited Estrella from entering any of their sites, but they have not disclosed whether he is on paid or unpaid leave. Frasher, who previously worked as a public information officer for the Glendale Unified School District, is no longer in close contact with children, according to district spokesperson Kristine Nam.
The investigation into this case was initiated by a cyber tip received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which was then passed on to the Los Angeles Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The San Bernardino Police Department, an affiliate of the task force, obtained a search warrant for Frasher’s home where child pornography was allegedly found. Subsequently, a warrant was obtained to search Frasher’s cellphone, leading to the discovery of text communications with Estrella.
Both Estrella and Frasher have denied the allegations. Estrella’s attorney, Kirk Tarman, has not provided any comment on the case. Frasher’s attorney, Mike Scafiddi, stated that he has yet to receive evidence from the police and cannot comment further.
