A former substitute teacher for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District has been arrested on suspicion of having child sexual abuse material on his cellphone.

At 11 p.m. last Thursday, deputies with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office on routine patrol contacted the occupant of a vehicle that was parked on the side of the road near Los Berros Road and Highway 101 in Nipomo.

Further investigation revealed the driver was in possession of child pornography on his phone, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Cipolla said.

Gregory Allen Kornman, 54, of Nipomo was arrested on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse material.

He is currently being held without bail. 

Kornman was a substitute teacher in grades K-8 for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District.

He was last employed as a substitute teacher by the district on Jan. 27 and is no longer affiliated with the district, Santa Maria-Bonita officials said in a written statement.

“The Santa Maria-Bonita School District is saddened and troubled by the arrest of Gregory Kornman. The crimes he is accused of are serious and disturbing,” the statement said. “The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority.”

The district is cooperating with the ongoing investigation, according to the statement.

“We are reviewing the procedures that we have in place for background checks and screening of all employees, including substitute teachers, to ensure they are as effective as possible,” the district added.

Since the arrest, additional search warrants have been served, and the case is still being actively investigated, Cipolla said. 

Anyone with information on this incident can call the Sheriff’s Detective Division at 805.781.4500.