29-04-2025
Records show former Eanes ISD music teacher had nearly 9,000 videos/images of students
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A former elementary music teacher at Eanes Independent School District who was arrested in February on charges of Possession of Child Pornography is now being charged with Sexual Performance by Child under 14, according to court records.
RELATED: Former Eanes ISD music teacher arrested in connection with online crimes against children
Zachary Barnett was arrested and booked into the Williamson County Jail on Feb. 26 on three warrants issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Criminal Investigations Division.
DPS didn't provide any further details at the time due to there being an active and ongoing investigation, a spokesperson for DPS told KXAN in a statement.
Online records didn't show an attorney listed as representation for Barnett.
Eanes ISD told KXAN Barnett had a fingerprinted background check. The district said Barnett wasn't determined to have a prior history and 'there were no indications of concern' prior to this incident.
According to the new arrest affidavit filed in Travis County on April 28, DPS executed a search warrant at Barnett's residence and seized a total of 13 digital devices.
DPS' analysis of the content on these devices revealed over 1,500 files of known Child Sexual Abuse and/or Exploitation Material (CSEM). Among those files were 'a total of 8,885 pictures/videos of female students from Barnett's class,' the affidavit states.
'The majority of Barnett's self-produced videos were zoomed into the female students' skirts, their underwear, and/or their crotch area,' the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, Barnett would play a 'Freeze and Hold the Pose' game, featuring popular cartoon characters, where his students would replicate the pose of a character shown on a screen in the classroom.
Barnett would then take videos of students in those poses 'in a sexually explicit manner,' the affidavit said.
According to Travis County jail records, Barnett has not been arrested on the new charge.
'We are saddened for any innocent children who may have been unknowingly objectified by an adult entrusted with their care and instruction,' Eanes ISD previously wrote in a release. 'We understand this situation is disturbing. The Eanes ISD Police Department is helping to confirm which students' images were found in the search. Those families whose children may be affected will be contacted directly by school district or DPS officials.'
Andrew Schnitker contributed to this story.
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