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KVUE's Amy Johnston reports

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A Bastrop County man has been charged with possessing child pornography at his home in McDade.

Bastrop County sheriff's investigators say they searched Jimmy Don Shanahan's home after they got a tip on New Year's Day.

People who live nearby Jimmy Don Shanahan say they saw at least four sheriff's deputy patrol cars pull up to the house on New Year's Day. They would soon learn that investigators took printed materials with child pornography, along with computers, USB flash drives, VHS tapes and DVDs.

Shanahan was arrested for possession of child pornography, a third degree felony.

"In a small town like McDade, you don't expect something like that," said Dina Peters, neighbor.

Shanahan lived in McDade, about 10 miles outside of Elgin. He'd worked for two years as a teacher's aide to special needs children at Elgin Middle School. District officials say he cleared a state mandated fingerprint background check.

"An investigation has been carried out and interviews with the children with whom he was in contact, was carried out by CPS, child protective services," said Bill Graves, Elgin ISD superintendent.

BCSO

Jimmy Shanahan

Graves says the investigation has finished at the school and it was determined none of the kids were involved. Also, all the computers which Shanahan could have used were searched and nothing was found.

Still some parents who have kids in the district are rattled.

"But for it to be actually right here, I never thought it would be so close to home. And it's kind of like wow still," said Victoria LeDoux, parent.

Shanahan was arrested last Thursday. He posted a $35,000 bond and was released on Friday. The investigation will continue as deputies search the computer and look at "volumes of VHS and DVDs."