Lafayette substitute teacher pleads guilty to child porn charge

MARTINEZ, Calif. (KGO) -- A Contra Costa County substitute teacher and former school administrator pleaded guilty to a child pornography charge on Thursday and was sentenced to a 100-day jail term, prosecutors announced today.

David Prashker, 60, of Lafayette, will also serve a period of three years on probation after admitting to the possession of child porn in a plea agreement, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office.

In the plea deal a charge was dropped that he destroyed evidence when he was arrested on Feb. 18 in his Lafayette residence in the 3600 block of Bickerstaff Road.

Prashker allegedly tossed a laptop from a second-floor bedroom into his backyard while a search warrant was being served. Investigators found evidence of child porn on that laptop's hard drive.

Prashker was a substitute teacher at two private schools in the central area of the county, but there was no evidence found that his alleged crimes involved students at the schools.

Among other credentials, Prashker has authored 30 books, including contemporary and historical novels, short stories, poetry, songs, plays and scholarly works, according to his biography.

The London-born man's 30-year career as a teacher and school administrator included positions in places such as Toronto and Florida, according to the district attorney's office.

"This office will hold accountable those individuals with a position of trust over children who chose to violate that trust by possessing and distributing child pornography," District Attorney Mark Peterson said in a statement.

Prashker has been ordered to register as a sex offender after he serves 100 days in county jail, according to the district attorney's office.