A special education teacher at a Bethesda, Maryland, high school appeared in court Friday following allegations of child pornography possession and distribution.
Peter Flynn, 61, of Silver Spring, was arrested Friday. He was released on his own recognizance.
According to an indictment, Flynn distributed child pornography on April 3, 2014. Five months later, he allegedly was in possession of child pornography.
"We don't think there is really any evidence of actual distribution," said Flynn's attorney, Paul Kemp. "We think the government may well be able to show possession, and mere possession, of the items that are mentioned in the indictment."
Flynn is a special education teacher at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.
School officials say the allegations against Flynn do not involve anyone at the school.
Kemp said Flynn tried to avoid arrest by turning himself in to police.
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"He's been cooperative in trying to contact them," Kemp said. "I've tried to contact, as I said in court, the Maryland State Police unit and the troopers involved, and they simply refused to call us back."
Flynn, who has worked at the high school since 1979, was placed in an administrative post with no contact with students after the school system learned about the investigation in September.
Parents were notified Friday. That didn't receive notification earlier because of the investigation.
He faces up to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised probation if found guilty of both charges.
