Private high school principal fired, arrested on child pornography charges

Search Warrant at Principal’s Home Leads to Arrest

Southwest Covenant High School’s principal, Kevin Cobbs, was arrested following a child pornography investigation led by the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). Investigators executed a search warrant Tuesday morning at his home, uncovering explicit photos of minors on his personal devices.

Cobbs was taken into custody and later released on a $25,000 bond.

Digital Evidence Found

According to the sheriff’s office, Cobbs admitted during questioning that he received an image of a nude 16-year-old boy, who is believed to be a student. The photo was discovered in a hidden folder on his iPhone during a forensic review.

Cobbs claimed the photo had been airdropped to him by the teen, but told investigators he didn’t know what to do with it. Investigators say the image was intentionally hidden to avoid detection.

Investigators say they found additional evidence in a photo vault app on Cobbs’ phone, which included photos of young boys shared through Snapchat and videos showing minors in their underwear.

Tip Launches Investigation

The investigation began earlier this month when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children flagged an image uploaded to the Kik messaging platform. The photo reportedly depicted a preteen or early teen male performing a sexual act.

The upload was traced to an IP address linked to Cobbs’ home internet. Investigators matched the Kik account and associated email addresses to Cobbs using digital records and subscriber data from AT&T and Yahoo.

School District Terminates Principal, Notifies Families

Following the arrest, Southwest Covenant High School issued an email to parents confirming that Cobbs had been fired. The message emphasized that the district is fully cooperating with law enforcement and prioritizing student well-being.

“We met with our secondary students this morning and counselors remain available to support our school community,” the statement read.

The district also announced that the school board is launching an independent investigation into the matter.

Sheriff’s Office: More Charges Likely

As forensic analysis of Cobbs’ phones continues, investigators believe additional evidence could lead to more charges. The sheriff’s office says those could include lewd acts with a child and attempting to delete evidence.

Anyone who believes their child may have been a victim is urged to contact the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office and ask for the investigations division.

“The Canadian County Sheriff’s Office is committed to protecting the community and continuing efforts to prevent and address the possession and distribution of illegal material involving minors,” the agency said in a public statement.

Other Coverage:

Southwest Covenant Schools principal arrested in child pornography investigation

Cyber tip leads to Yukon principal accused of possession of child pornography