VINELAND TEACHER BUSTED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, PROSECUTORS SAY

A Gloucester County man and elementary school teacher was arrested Thursday after investigators say he viewed and distributed child sexual abuse materials online.

James Adams, 50, taught at Dr. William Mennies Elementary School in Vineland, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office.

Detectives traced social media activity involving child sexual abuse materials (CSAEM) to Adams’s residence in Washington Township. A search warrant executed at his home Thursday led to the seizure of several electronic devices, including one matching the make and model linked to the explicit content, prosecutors said.

Adams admitted to receiving CSAEM via social media, according to investigators. He was charged with second-degree distribution and third-degree possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation materials.

He was booked into the Salem County Correctional Facility, which provides detention services for Gloucester County. His first court appearance is scheduled for Friday.

As of Thursday, no attorney was listed for Adams in online court records.

His current employment status is unclear. Adams’s name no longer appears in the online staff directory for Dr. William Mennies Elementary. Several posts from Vineland Public Schools referencing Adams—including one recognizing him as “Staff Member of the Month”—appear to have been deleted. The now-removed post described him as “an incredible 3rd-grade teacher who goes above and beyond for his students.”

The Vineland School District issued the following statement on Thursday:

“Today, June 26, 2025, the Vineland School District was informed that a teacher at Dr. William Mennies Elementary School has been arrested in connection with an active investigation conducted by the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We are fully cooperating with authorities and will adhere to all legal and policy requirements throughout this process.”