A former Asheville teacher has been sentenced for possession of child pornography following a plea deal negotiated last December.

CHRISTOPHER LEE TODD

Christopher Lee Todd, age 50, was sentenced on July 18 to 39 months in prison for possession of child pornography. He is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Center pending transfer to federal prison.

According to U.S. Attorney spokesperson Lia Bantavani, upon release Todd will be supervised for the rest of his life and will also have to register as a sex offender. Court documents show Todd was also instructed to pay $3,000 in restitution to one of his victims.

This sentence is far lower than the recommended ten-year minimum for the crime which also comes with a $250,000 fine. Depending on further investigations and related hearings, it is possible a federal court could add to Todd’s sentence.

Law enforcement began an investigation into Todd in January of 2021 following a tip.

That same month, police obtained a warrant to search Todd’s home and found over a dozen electronic devices such as laptops, desktops, external drives, and an iPhone containing tens of thousands of child sexual abuse images and videos. According to police reports, the exact numbers included 127 videos and 21,185 images.

Court documents showed Todd used a number of online aliases, two of which were “VerumSanguinis” and “WaffleOfDeath.”

Todd was formally arrested in Buncombe County on Dec. 28, 2021, however, he had already pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography in a U.S. district court on Dec. 17.

At the time of his arrest, Todd was teaching at Cane Creek Middle School. The district hired him on Aug. 14, 2015.

Todd resigned on Feb. 16, 2021. According to NC statute, Buncombe County is required to report that resignation to the N.C. State Board of Education if Todd did not give 30 days notice or that resignation is tied to criminal activity.

There is an active teaching license on file with the state for Todd in the areas of Social Studies: History 9-12, Technology Education: Project Lead the Way Endorsement (6-12), and Science 6-9. The license was issued in July of 2021 and remains valid until June of 2026 unless revoked by the state.

This website was not aware of Todd’s 2021 arrest until his sentencing was announced by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in July 2022.