According to the Tampa Bay Times, an investigation by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office that began in January led to the discovery of illegal images on a computer belonging to James Anthony Schnur, 51, of Seminole.
Schnur, who works as a special collections librarian and historian at the University of South Florida-St. Petersburg, was found with images that “depict child pornography and bestiality,” the sheriff’s office told the Tampa Bay Times.
The university is investigating the charges against Schnur, and the school said it has placed him on unpaid leave pending university review.
Schnur had been associated with USF St. Petersburg for 25 years, taught at USF Tampa and Eckerd College, and served as the president of the Pinellas County Historical Society. He also served as a board member in the Florida Historical Society and was named the organization’s Presidential Citation recipient in 2015.
He was arrested at his home on Wednesday and faces several charges, including 10 counts of possession of child pornography. He is being held in the Pinellas County Jail on $1 million bond.
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