A Spanish teacher at a high school in San Marcos was expected in court Monday to face a charge that he paid for videos depicting child sexual abuse. High Tech High North County teacher Erick Medina was placed on paid administrative leave following his arrest Friday on a federal charge that he re ceived images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The ninth-grade Spanish teacher is accused of reaching out to an out-of-state individual online from May to Sept. 2025 in order to pay for videos showing children engaging in sexual acts, according to a complaint that details a large-scale FBI investigation. The FBI said sexually explicit videos of minors were found on Medina’s seized iPhone, as was the PayPal app allegedly used to make payments for such materials, according to the complaint. The FBI said Medina admitted to the communications during his arrest on Friday, and “further admitted that he has communicated with several others in order to obtain the types of videos.” High Tech High officials said it does not appear that any of the school’s students were involved. The FBI said the minors depicted in the confiscated sexual abuse materials were from out of state. “We recognize this is deeply concerning news for our community. Please know that the safety and well-being of our students remains our highest priority. We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for every student in our care,” the letter read. While cooperating with law enforcement’s investigation, High Tech High initiated its own investigation and promised parents transparency in the process, a letter to families said. “It’s unsettling to say the least,” High Tech High spokesperson Anthony Millican said. “I think we are as disappointed and shocked as anyone.” The San Marcos campus provided private and group counseling sessions Monday for students and teachers. “Keep in mind this was a trusted colleague and there’s a range of emotions from ‘I didn’t know the individual,’ to ‘Oh my gosh, this was a very close colleague.’ So there’s some sense of betrayal,” Millican said. Medina previously taught at High Tech Middle School, which is on the same campus in San Marcos, according to a since-deleted biography on the school’s website. The biography also said Medina worked with sixth-grade students from across San Diego County as an outdoor educator in Julian. The YMCA also released a statement on the arrest of its former employee: “The safety of children in the Y’s care is our top priority. We are aware of the recent arrest of a former employee. This individual is no longer employed by our organization. We take these matters extremely seriously and will cooperate fully with law enforcement as needed,” the statement read. ...read more read less