Teacher Named in 56 Counts of Molestation

After hours of studying films and contacting children, prosecutors filed 56 criminal counts on Thursday against a former Fresno elementary school principal accused of taking pornographic pictures of female students.

Loren K. Ebersole, 55, had been charged earlier with taking pictures at Burroughs Elementary School of eight girls in the third- through sixth-grades and in various stages of undress.

But after reviewing films found in his home and matching pictures with children, the district attorney’s office listed 24 victims on an amended complaint.

“It took a tremendous amount of work going through the films and trying to interview and contact all the children,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Worthington Vogel said after arraignment.

Amended Complaint

The amended complaint charges Ebersole with felony and misdemeanor counts of child molestation and child pornography.

A prosecution motion to increase Ebersole’s bail was rejected, but Municipal Judge Armando Rodriguez did warn him to stay away from minor children, especially the victims and their families. He scheduled a preliminary hearing Aug. 17.

During more than 30 years with the Fresno Unified School District, Ebersole taught at six elementary schools and was principal at four others.

School officials said he had lectured throughout the state on a system of positive enforcement that he developed. Called Catching Kids Being Good, it provided rewards such as a certificate, hamburger or field trip for good attendance, good citizenship or other positive acts.

Ebersole was named the district’s top young teacher in 1965.