An Arizona county school superintendent has resigned following the discovery of pornographic material on his work-issued computer, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.
Coconino County announced the resignation of 67-year-old Tommy Lewis Jr. at the end of January 2021. At the time, the county said that Lewis was stepping down for personal reasons.
However, when questioned by the AP, a county spokesperson later confirmed that Lewis was under investigation for potential criminal activity.
Lewis’ proclivity for porn was discovered during a random internal security scan run by the county’s IT department. County software blocked over 100 attempts to access sexually explicit websites in the weeks that followed Lewis’ election to the position of county superintendent.
US News reports that pornographic material, including images of potentially underage females, was found by the county on Lewis’ computer.
Department Director Matt Fowler notified other county officials and law enforcement after the discovery of what he described as “questionable” content.
While Lewis was found to be in violation of county policy for using his work device to store and access pornographic content, an investigation into the material he was viewing by the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office did not result in any charges being brought.
None of the material involved the exploitation of children; however, one image prompted the detectives to contact the police department in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The image flagged by police was found on a flash drive that Lewis had left plugged into his computer. It depicts a woman’s intimate area in what appears to be an upskirt, a non-consensual photograph taken under a skirt.
Lewis, who has worked among tribal communities in a career that has spanned decades, said publicly that he is not a criminal.
“I am very sorry and shameful,” Lewis wrote to the Coconino County Board of Supervisors and the then-county manager in an email dated January 21.
“Thank you for giving me an opportunity to work with you. I wish you the best.”
A week after sending the email, Lewis sent a text message to the county’s human resources manager requesting that the flash drive containing pornographic images be returned to him.
Credit: InfoSecurity Sarah Coble News Writer
