A part-time cafeteria playground assistant at a Madera County elementary school was arrested after investigators allegedly found child sexual abuse material on electronic devices seized during a search warrant operation, authorities said.

The Madera County Sheriff’s Office said its investigations division received two CyberTips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children regarding the suspected possession of child sexual abuse material in Madera County.

Detectives identified Joshua Lee Hefner, 34, as the suspect during the investigation, according to the sheriff’s office. Hefner was employed by Madera Unified School District and assigned to Dixieland Elementary School at the time of the investigation.

On Monday, detectives with the sheriff’s office, working with the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations, executed a search warrant at a residence near Avenue 18 ½ and Road 19 in Madera, authorities said.

Investigators said they located electronic devices belonging to Hefner that contained child sexual abuse material. Hefner was later contacted at Dixieland Elementary School and taken into custody, according to the sheriff’s office.

Authorities said preliminary forensic analysis of the seized devices had not identified any Dixieland Elementary School students as victims.

Got a Tip?

Anyone with information about the case or potential victims is asked to contact Detective Eder Andrade at (559) 517-7997 or email MCSOTip@maderacounty.com.

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