Man Accused of Sending Child Pornography Via Northport School’s Messaging App

A Tuscaloosa County man has been arrested and jailed after he allegedly transmitted child pornography via a local elementary school's messaging app.

According to court documents filed Friday, a teacher at a northern Tuscaloosa County elementary school contacted police earlier this week after she received a text message with a disturbing photo attached.

Police say the message was sent via the SchoolStatus mobile app, which teachers in the Tuscaloosa County School System use to communicate with parents. A spokesperson for the company contacted the Thread and said SchoolStatus identified and reported the incident and has cooperated with police since its discovery.

The photo allegedly depicted obscene material featuring children under the age of 17.

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Investigators were able to link the message to a cell phone number belonging to a Berry man, 50-year-old Johnny Wayne Hollingsworth.

Police say they interviewed Hollingsworth Wednesday and he admitted he had possession of his phone when the photo was sent to the teacher the day before.

Hollingsworth was arrested and charged with one count of dissemination of obscene material of persons under 17.

He was placed in the Tuscaloosa County Jail, where he remains Friday waiting for his bond to be set by a judge.