Overview
- Nathaniel Ballesta, 35, was arrested after a Bardia search and charged with 10 offences including possessing and producing child abuse material and using a carriage service to procure sexual activity from a child.
- Police executed a warrant at a home on Thursday and seized multiple electronic devices and cloud data that detectives describe as a significant quantity of abuse material.
- Investigators say online communications between Ballesta and a teenage girl span from 2021 to 2025 and that police have spoken with the identified victim and put protections in place for her.
- Ballesta has been stood down from his role at John Edmondson High School, did not apply for bail at Campbelltown Local Court and was refused bail with the matter listed to return in July.
- The case was referred to police after automated systems flagged material to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation and forms part of Strike Force Trawler, with detectives warning further victims and charges may emerge as forensics continue.