A former teacher’s aide at Little Butte Elementary School in Eagle Point awaits sentencing for possessing child pornography, officials said.

Adam Christopher Mealey, 26, pleaded guilty June 16 to two counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse after detectives with the Southern Oregon High-Tech Crimes Task Force found images on his home computer last summer.

A post-sentencing investigation is continuing to help determine Mealey’s possible jail sentence, said Central Point police Sgt. Josh Moulin, the high-tech task force commander.

"We received a lot of interest from the public about this case," Moulin said. "Because he has worked in a school, several parents were very concerned."

Mealey was put on paid administrative leave soon after his arrest. He has since been dismissed from the school, Little Butte officials said.

Upon his conviction, Mealey will have to register as a sex offender.

"We are glad to secure a conviction in this case," Moulin said. "Anytime we have crimes against people, especially children, such as this, we take them very seriously."

Moulin said it was too early to comment on Mealey’s possible sentence. He was released from the Jackson County Jail after posting bail.

Local officers and FBI agents seized Mealey’s computer June 1, 2007, after searching his home in the 3000 block of Sheraton Court in Medford, Moulin said.

The images found on his computer were not local children, Moulin said.

The images will be sent to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children, where they will be plugged into a database. The database helps police agencies track the origin of the images, Moulin said.

Reach reporter Chris Conrad at 776-4471; or e-mail cconrad@mailtribune.com.