Fernando Rivas (provided)COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- An award-winning composer and former fine arts instructor at a private school in Charleston has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges.
Court records show that Fernando Rivas entered the plea Thursday in federal court in Charleston.
Rivas had initially pleaded not guilty and was set for a bench trial on charges of making child pornography and sending images to other people.
Agents searched Rivas' Ladson home in April 2011 after someone arrested in New Jersey led them to him. On his computer, officers said they found numerous pictures of child pornography, some of which had been sent to the person arrested in New Jersey.
Rivas worked as a jazz music instructor at Charleston private school Porter-Gaud from 2002 until he left in 2009.
