Ex school janitor pleads guilty to possessing child porn

A fired south-metro school janitor pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing child pornography.

Thomas Scott Wagner, 57, was fired in May from the West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan School District after he was arrested.

He pleaded guilty in Dakota County District Court to seven felony counts of possession of pornographic work involving minors, punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a fine of $1,500 to $5,000.

According to a criminal complaint, police searched his apartment and vehicles about a year ago. In his computers were 1,300 graphic images and 10 videos. The images were sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which indicated that 119 photo images and three videos contained identified child victims engaged in sexual performance, the complaint says.

Wagner will be sentenced Feb. 23.

JOY POWELL