ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – A University of South Florida St. Petersburg historian, accused of being in possession of child pornography, was given a bond over a million dollars on Thursday.
Pinellas Co. Sheriff’s detectives with the Crimes Against Children Unit arrested James Anthony Schnur for possession of child pornography and prohibition of certain acts in connection with obscene materials Wednesday morning.
Authorities took him into custody at his home on 91st Street North in Seminole.
Detectives learned Schnur, 51, was in possession of child pornography back in January.
Through various investigative techniques, detectives were able to recover numerous images depicting bestiality and child pornography from Schnur’s computer.
Detectives arrested Schnur and charged him with ten counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of prohibition of certain acts in connection with obscene materials.
Schnur has been employed with USF St. Petersburg since 2000. He currently serves as Head of Special Collections and University Archives and teaches classes as well.
He worked in the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library at USF St. Petersburg.
Students who learned of Schnur’s arrest were surprised.
“It’s shocking. You never know where those people are or what skeletons they got in their closets. You just never know,” said freshman Hugh Hebert.
Junior Tatiana Hernandez said, “It’s kind of scary to think that someone like that is really close to you. Especially, because sometimes you’re in there really early in the morning once it opens and this place closes really late, so you could have been left there alone with him and you wouldn’t even know.”
Schnur is on leave pending the university’s review of the matter.
Officials with USF St. Petersburg will not comment while the matter is under investigation.
A Florida man at Schnur’s home would no comment.
The university released the following statement regarding his arrest:
USF St. Petersburg is aware of the reported incident involving James Schnur, but cannot comment as this matter is under investigation. Mr. Schnur has been employed at the university since 2000 and currently serves as Head of Special Collections and University Archives. He is on leave pending the university’s review of the matter.
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