Former Seattle teacher sentenced to 18 months in prison for possession of child pornography

A former science teacher at the Seattle Academy will spend 18 months in prison after admitting he collected child pornography.

Gabriel Cronin, 42, was arrested in November 2017 after a relative called the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children upon learning Cronin was in therapy for an addiction to child pornography.

An investigation into Cronin revealed he “possessed 117 images of teens engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  The images were downloaded from the internet.  The investigation did not reveal any instances where Cronin pursued sexual interactions with minors,” according to U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.

Cronin pleaded guilty in April 2018 after telling investigators he used a school laptop computer to view and download hundred of explicit images of children.

At Cronin’s sentencing hearing on July 20, Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said Cronin is “a highly educated and highly intelligent man who understands the damage that occurs to these victims, especially in the internet age… His actions contribute to that ongoing market that creates new sex abuse victims all around the world.”

Cronin was fired by the Seattle Academy school following his arrest and will be required to register as a sex offender following his release from prison.

The Seattle academy is a prestigious, private middle and high school in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood with an emphasis on arts and science.

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