MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A former special education teacher in the St. Paul Public School District has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for producing and possessing child pornography.

In an agreement with prosecutors, Gregg Alan Larsen earlier pleaded guilty to accusations he created pornography of the children in his care. The 49-year-old Larsen was also a foster care provider.

Following sentencing in U.S. District Court Tuesday, prosecutor Todd Jones says Larsen violated the trust of the school district and the community by preying on innocent children.

Larsen admitted taking photos of juveniles engaged in sexual activity in 2006 and said he intended to distribute them on the Internet. Court documents say Larsen had more than 600 child porn images on his computer in 2009.

Larsen faced a maximum 40 years in prison.

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