MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A custodian who worked at Marion County Public Schools was arrested Tuesday on 20 counts of child pornography, according to an arrest affidavit.

• Fredric Russell Nourse, 61, arrested on 20 counts of child porn
• Nourse worked as a custodian at Marion schools
• MCPS spokesperson: Nourse on paid administrative leave

Fredric Russell Nourse, 61, of Silver Springs, was arrested Tuesday on the child porn charges, said the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in a news release.

The investigation began in April after detectives received a tip on Nourse through his IP address.

Investigators eventually came in contact with him and found at least 20 images depicting child porn on a mobile device.

Nourse began working for Marion County Public Schools in 2004 as a substitite custodian at East Marion Elementary, according to MCPS spokesperson Kevin Christian. Nourse also worked at Fort King Middle School, Anthony Elementary, College Park Elementary, and Emerald Shores Elementary.

Since April 2019, Nourse has worked for Greenway Elementary as head custodian. Christian said he had minimal contact with students since he works a night shift. 

In an email, Christian said Nourse's "evaluations are all positive and he has no evidence of employment concerns/issues in his MCPS file."

Nourse is on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of his criminal case and the district's investigation, according to the district. 

He is being held at Marion County Jail on $100,000 bond. He's expected to make his first appearance in front of a judge Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.