NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Metro teacher accused of secretly recording at least 40 elementary school students as they changed clothes in a closet at Napier Elementary School has been taken into police custody.
According to a release from Metro police, the two-week investigation against Jarrett Jones, 30, began after he asked a colleague at Antioch High School to help him with a computer problem.
When the colleague saw the questionable items on the computer, they notified authorities.
According to police, the secretly recorded videos relate to Jones’ position as a music teacher at Napier Elementary School from 2011 to 2015.
After placing a hidden video recording device, Jones is alleged to have instructed young girls to change clothes in the music room’s closet as part of school plays or choir performances, police said.
While searching Jones’ home, several pieces of digital equipment, including an external hard drive were seized.
On the hard drive, detectives said there were more than 50 videos in a folder titled “Napier.”
Police said after analyzing the videos, detectives have identified the majority of the 40 girls who were secretly recorded at the Nashville elementary school.
There were also more than 1,000 sexually explicit images of minors that appear to have been downloaded from an external source unrelated to Napier Elementary on the hard drive, according to police.
Jones was placed on administrative leave on Sept. 9 when the investigation began.
He is being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond and is charged with two counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of minors and three counts of sexual exploitation of minors.
Additional charges are anticipated.
Jones was taken into custody without incident at his Antioch home.
Metro Nashville Public Schools respond
A statement from the school district Monday said after reviewing the police report, school officials will recommend to Metro Director of Schools Dr. Shawn Joseph that Jones be dismissed from his position.
“The teacher has had no contact with students since being placed on leave,” the statement said in part.
It continued, “We are devastated by the news of this investigation and are doing everything we can do help Metro police and the District Attorney. Obviously this is a very difficult and sensitive situation and we will respect our students’ and families’ right to privacy as police and the DA pursue this matter.”
