New records show that child pornography was found on the school equipment of a former Arlington elementary school principal a year before he was arrested in Florida on suspicion of soliciting sex online with a minor.
The records came to light as Stephen Paulsen's attorney waived his client's right to a pre-trial release hearing in the Florida case Tuesday.
The records are emails from Paulsen's co-workers that were sent to Arlington Independent School District officials last week.
A campus technology manager said he was asked to fix Paulsen's school-issued iPad in January or February of 2012. The first screen that came up was a "website with young male pornographic videos of homosexual content," he said.
The manager said that when Paulsen was asked about it, "He stated that he had loaned the iPad or that a neighbor's kid had borrowed the iPad."
In the document, the manager said, "I had no reason to believe otherwise. ... He did not get mad or act like he had something to hide."
The technology manager discussed it with another employee, and both provided statements to school officials, which are now in federal court files in Florida with the employees' names redacted.
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On July 12, Paulsen, using the screen name "Tony Texas," began online communication with an undercover officer whom he believed to be a 15-year-old boy in Florida, records say.
According to the court files, Paulsen said he would like to teach the boy some "intense passionate man love."
Paulsen was arrested on July 16 when he went to meet the boy in Boynton Beach, Fla.
Paulsen was visiting family there. He resigned from his principal job on July 17 while in jail.
He lived with his wife in Fort Worth. Records show he has two sons, ages 23 and 22.
Arlington school district spokeswoman Leslie Johnson issued a statement Tuesday:
"The information provided to the district court regarding the inappropriate material came to light after the recent arrest of Stephen Paulsen. The AISD continues to investigate in conjunction with law enforcement and is ensuring appropriate reporting procedures are followed."
