A Paideia school janitor arrested on child porn charges allegedly told federal investigators he placed hidden cameras in the boys’ and girls’ bathrooms at the private Druid Hills academy, according to a letter sent to parents.

Headmaster Paul Bianchi wrote that Josh Ensley, a janitor for Paideia for 17 years, was arrested after he received illegal materials through the mail. Agents charged him with possession of child porn after a search of his home computer.

School officials first learned of the investigation on Thursday, said Paideia spokeswoman Jennifer Hill. Ensley was promptly fired, she said.

A search of the bathrooms at Paideia, which instructs students ages 3 through 18, turned up no recording devices, according to Bianchi.

“The investigators have told us that there is no evidence to suggest that Mr. Ensley had physical contact with any students or other children, and there is similarly no evidence to suggest that Mr. Ensley distributed the pictures he took to anyone else or posted them on the Internet,” Bianchi wrote. “We take this matter very seriously and understand that this news is as disturbing to you as it is to us.”

Ensley is being held by federal authorities.

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Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, seen here in a file photo from Nov. 14, 2024, is conducting a statewide audit of voter registrations targeting registrations at businesses and P.O. boxes for possible cancelation. (Jason Getz / AJC)

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