A student desk (photo courtesy of Creative Commons).

Mark Berndt, 61, was arrested Monday by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, the Associated Press reported. He worked for more than 30 years at Miramonte Elementary School. He was fired in March.

According to the AP, authorities began investigating Berndt after a film processor came forward with about 40 photographs depicting blindfolded children in a classroom with their mouths taped shut.

Berndt allegedly tied up the children, placed giant cockroaches on their faces and possibly fed them his semen from a spoon, the Los Angeles Times reported. Some girls in the photographs allegedly had a blue spoon holding a white substance near their mouths.

L.A. Police Capt. Mike Parker told the L.A. Times that special victims bureau detectives recovered a blue plastic spoon and an empty container from the trash within Berndt’s classroom. The items tested positive for semen.

Berndt’s DNA was obtained and tested. Officials told the L.A. Times that it matched the DNA found on the spoon and container.

Berndt is being held on $2.3 million bail.

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