A Rockingham County man working at a local preschool allegedly took inappropriate images of a child in the bathroom where he worked, according to Harrisonburg Police.
Zachary Brandon Harger, 28, was arrested Monday on charges related to child pornography.
In coordination with Child Protective Services and the Harrisonburg Police Department victim services liaison unit, the family of the student was notified. The victim was confirmed to be one of the children in Harger’s classroom.
A search warrant for Harger’s home was executed on March 13. Digital forensic examiners discovered pornographic images on his cellphone.
The Harrisonburg Police Department has charged Harger with four felonies:
- Three counts of manufacturing child pornography from Aug. 20, 2025-Nov. 25, 2025
- One count of unlawful filming
The investigation began in February when the U.S. Secret Service forwarded information to the Harrisonburg Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations regarding a cryptocurrency account that had been used to purchase child pornography.
On March 4, it was confirmed that the account belonged to Harger.
He was already under investigation by the Harrisonburg Police Department due to a complaint made against him related to inappropriate contact with a child.
According to Harger’s LinkedIn profile, he has worked for Harrisonburg City Schools since March 2021. He began his work as a VPI teacher in June 2024. His profile states that he leads a classroom of 17 young learners, including several students with physical and learning disabilities.
He received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from James Madison University in 2024. He received an associate degree from Blue Ridge Community College in May 2022.
The next court date for Harger is a status hearing on May 8 at 9 a.m. in Harrisonburg/Rockingham J&DR Court.
Anyone who has information on this case or any other similar incident is encouraged to reach out to Detective Greg Miller at (540) 437-4404 or [email protected]. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to HPD by visiting www.harrisonburgva.gov/tip-411.
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Crystal Graham
