A long-term staffer at a Californian Christian school faces federal charges for allegedly paying young male students more than $6,000 for sexually explicit videos and their dirty underwear, before selling them online.
Todd Baldwin, 44, had worked at Valley Christian High School for 25 years, as a director of facilities, teaching assistant and sports coach.
Last week, he was hit with federal criminal charges from the US Attorney’s Office in San Jose accusing him of soliciting pornography from two male teens.
According to the criminal complaint, Baldwin allegedly offered one 17-year-old male student at Valley Christian High School money in exchange for sexually explicit videos and images.
Baldwin then allegedly sold them on Reddit, and paid the boy $4,265 commission from the sales.
The educator had the same 17-year-old pose for a naked photoshoot in his school office, the court documents allege.
Baldwin also allegedly used Snapchat to recruit another teenager, aged 16, from neighboring Live Oak High School, according to authorities. Prosecutors allege that boy was paid $2,050 for pornographic material.
The educator was also accused of asking for the boy’s underwear that he wore during athletics practice. The underwear was then also sold online, according to court documents.
Baldwin was first arrested in August 2023 and a search warrant was executed on his office and home in San Jose, after the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was notified a staff member at the school was “in possession of explicit digital media of juveniles,” San Jose Police Department said at the time.
Following his arrest, Baldwin allegedly confessed to police that he had received pornographic content from four male teen students and sold them online.
While Baldwin has only been charged in connection to two alleged victims, federal investigators said they believe there could be upwards of five underage victims – with evidence suggesting at least three other victims.
Baldwin is yet to enter a plea, according to court records.
“The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority,” Valley Christian High School’s president Clifford Daugherty told the Los Angeles Times.
“Since the start of the investigation in August of 2023, we have fully cooperated with the San Jose Police Department and will continue to cooperate with federal authorities as the investigation progresses.”
The Independent has contacted the Attorney’s Office in San Jose, San Jose Police Department, Valley Christian High School and Live Oak High School for comment.
