Sandburg Middle School teacher charged with possession of child pornography

A teacher at Carl Sandburg Middle School has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography, the Arlington County Police announced Wednesday.

Robert Rowe (Arlington County Police image)

Robert Keith Rowe, 56, was taken into custody Wednesday morning at his house in the 1200 block of S. Forest Street in Arlington, according to police. He is being held without bond at the Arlington County Detention Center.

Rowe, an ESOL instructor, had worked at Sandburg since 2014, according to a Fairfax County Public Schools spokesman.

Arlington Police said in a press release that a detective with the regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force began investigating Rowe’s “online activities” after receiving a tip. Officers executed a search warrant at Rowe’s residence this morning, took him into custody and removed evidence from the home.

Police said there’s no evidence of inappropriate contact with children, but said the case remains open and that anyone with information should contact either Detective G. Sloan at 703-228-4198 or gsloan@arlingtonva.us or Detective H. Molina at 703-228-7037 or hmolina@arlingtonva.us. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).