HOUSTON -- A former Katy elementary school teacher has been accused of possessing and promoting of child pornography, KPRC Local 2 reported Thursday.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said Stephen Wayne Sudduth, 34, of Sealy, had more than 57,000 images and 1,000 videos on his computers and external media devices.

"An elementary school educator possessing thousands of sexually explicit images and video of children frightens parents around the state," Abbott said.

Abbott's Cyber Crimes Unit started investigating Sudduth after it got a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Sudduth had taken a job with the Hays Consolidated School District, but resigned in July.

The Katy Independent School District confirmed that Sudduth worked at Nottingham Country Elementary for six years. After teaching kindergarten and fifth-grade, the district said he resigned three years ago to teach overseas.

The Katy Independent School District said Sudduth passed a background and reference check.

"At the time of his resignation, there was nothing in his teaching record or experience here that gave evidence of this type of behavior," the district said.

Sudduth has been prohibited from using the Internet and from being near children until his trial on 30 counts of possession of child pornography and 10 counts of promotion of child pornography.

He was indicted by an Austin County grand jury.

Possession of child pornography is a third-degree felony that is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Promotion of child pornography is a second-degree felony that is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.