WHITEFISH BAY, Wis. — A teaching assistant at Gan Ami Early Childhood Education in Whitefish Bay was arrested on Friday for possession of child pornography.
Nicholas Otero, a part-time worker at the Jewish Community Center’s preschool program, was charged with three counts of possession of child pornography on Tuesday, according to the Whitefish Bay Police Department.
The school notified families of the arrest in a letter Monday, stating Otero worked one day a week and was "immediately suspended without pay" pending the police investigation.
The school noted that the teaching assistant did not create any child pornography, and no photos or images of children or staff in the program were found.
WATCH: Whitefish Bay preschool teaching assistant arrested for possession of child porn
"This teaching assistant passed a criminal background check in 2021 and had most recently completed and passed an additional fingerprint background check in 2024," the school said. "They were also up to date on their abuse prevention trainings. Additionally, they did not have anything in their employment file indicating that there were any complaints or concerns about inappropriate behavior during their tenure here."
The school provided a document to answer initial questions about the investigation.
Otero made his initial court appearance Tuesday, where his cash bond was set at $2,500, according to court records.
He’s due back in court for a preliminary hearing April 18.
This is a developing story. Continue following TMJ4 for updates.
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