School Administrator Arrested On Child Pornography Charges in Clayton

Walnut Creek police arrested Steven Shields, 43, on suspicion of possessing child pornography after searching his home in Clayton on Wednesday, according to Detective Sgt. Tom Cashion.

Shields is an assistant superintendent with the Vacaville Unified School District. Before joining the Vacaville district in July, Shields was the chief business official for the Newark Unified School District from 2008 to mid-2011.

Cashion said Walnut Creek police, aided by other police agencies, conducted a search of Shields' home on the 100 block of Mt. Everest Court in Clayton on Wednesday morning. Following the search, local police went to Vacaville, where Shields was placed under arrest.

Shields was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on Wednesday evening and his bail has been set at $20,000, Cashion said.

Shelds also has a residence in Ahwanee, near Yosemite National Park, according to Cashion.

Cashion declined to say why the Walnut Creek department was the lead agency in the search and arrest, although he said Shields was part of an ongoing child pornography investigation that also involved other police agencies.