Former MBC professor facing child porn charges

STAUNTON — A former Mary Baldwin College professor has been charged in a 26-count indictment of possessing child pornography.
A Staunton grand jury indicted Chadwick Blackwell on Monday.
Mary Baldwin said Blackwell resigned his assistant psychology position earlier this month. He had worked as a professor at the college since 2002, but was not yet tenured.
He was suspended from the job in October, said Crista Cabe, Mary Baldwin’s associate vice president of communications, marketing and public affairs.
Cabe said the college became aware of Blackwell possessing material at the college after a student saw images on his college computer last fall. The student made a report to the head of the psychology department.
Cabe said Edward Scott, the college’s interim vice president of academic affairs, was made aware on Oct. 19, 2007, and immediately secured Blackwell’s computer hard drive. Cabe said Scott met with the student four days later.
A report was made the same day to the Staunton Commonwealth’s Attorney and Staunton Police Department, and Blackwell was placed on suspension.
Cabe said the delay in reporting the case to police was prompted by Scott not being able to meet with the student bringing the allegation until Oct. 23.
“It would have been very irresponsible to report to police without confirming what the person who made the report saw,’’ Cabe said.
Cabe said the key was the swift reporting of the incident by the student.
“Mary Baldwin College is not immune to the issues that affect broader society,’’ Cable said. “We want students as well as faculty and staff to report as soon as they see something wrong and inappropriate. It is very important to report things.”