Former janitor faces porn charges

A former janitor at a Stanwood elementary school was charged Wednesday with five counts of possessing child pornography.

Mark Eric Weltz, 47, of Stanwood will be summoned to appear in Snohomish County Superior Court, deputy prosecutor Matt Baldock said. He worked for the district 18 years, the last eight at Cedarhome Elementary School.

A Snohomish County sheriff’s detective found about 10,000 images depicting young girls posing partly or fully nude, or engaging in sexually explicit conduct, Baldock said. The images were found on the defendant’s two home computers and on disks, Baldock said.

Weltz told detectives that although he had sexual fantasies about young children at the school, “he denied ever touching any of the students,” Baldock said.

He was placed on unpaid administrative leave when school officials learned about the allegations in late August, and later resigned, Baldock said.

Police began an investigation when a housekeeper found suspicious photographs in his home and notified officers.