Leads pursued in Tahoe teacher's child-porn case

As the child-pornography case involving former South Lake Tahoe school teacher Karsten Gronwold continues, investigators are looking into his past as a troop leader for Boy Scouts and ski instructor for a youth team at Heavenly Mountain Resort.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Sgt. Don Atkinson expects the investigation that began Sept. 1 will run a few more weeks as he is trying to find people associated with the case.

Atkinson said he received some information of potential misconduct 16 years ago when Gronwold was a skiing instructor. It was reported to authorities at the time, and a search is under way for the possible report, Atkinson said.

In addition, Atkinson said most of the photographs found on Gronwold's computer equipment were downloaded from outside sources.

"However, it's the photographs that we can't confirm that we're checking up on," Atkinson said.

Gronwold, 49, was arrested after investigators with the Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force in Sacramento tied him to Yahoo! and mySpace.com computer accounts containing images of boys engaged in sexual activity. The children in the photos ranged in range from 6 months to 12 years, Atkinson said.

The former teacher at the Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School reportedly used a laptop provided by the school district to access the Yahoo! account and look at images.

Atkinson said there was no indication of wrongdoing at the school, and the investigation is focusing on his role as a citizen, not a teacher. In addition, Atkinson noted Gronwold had no working relationship at the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe, as previously reported.

Once Atkinson's investigation is completed it will be forwarded to the El Dorado County District Attorneys Office for possible prosecution.

Federal authorities might also use the information, Atkinson said.

Gronwold is being held without bail at Sacramento County Main Jail on a federal charge of suspicion of possessing, creating and distributing child pornography. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday at the U.S. District Court in Sacramento.