A man who mentored children in the Tulsa area is now accused of possessing child porn.
The Tulsa County jail says Boyd was released from custody Monday night after Broken Arrow Police arrested the Oklahoma Junior Achievement President for having child pornography on his home computer.
Broken Arrow Police say they arrested Boyd at his home on Saturday.
The chairman of the board for the Junior Achievement, OK (JAOK) chapter, Alan Armstrong, says Boyd resigned from the organization the day of the arrest.
FOX23’s Abbie Alford spoke to Boyd’s neighbor who also had children involved in JAOK.
Junior Achievement is a non-profit organization that mentors children from kindergarten through high school. The organization works to inspire children to be successful business leaders.
However, JAOK chairman Alan Armstrong says Boyd resigned after the weekend arrest and is no longer associated with JAOK.
Armstrong says in the 43 years of helping children, JAOK has never faced this type of controversy.
More than 35,000 children in the Tulsa area join Junior Achievement to learn the economics of life. Broken Arrow mother, Tricia Files, says her kids joined the organization so they could learn how to be leaders.
When FOX23 told Files the JAOK President and her neighbor Gregory Boyd, was arrested for possessing child pornography she says something wasn’t right.
"It does break my heart. It really does,” says Files. "He stays to himself pretty much though he does have a lot of children, when I say children I mean teenagers coming and going.”
However, Tricia says she isn’t jumping to any conclusions.
"I will consider him until innocent until proven guilty and just pray that there were no children harmed,” says Files.
Broken Arrow Police say they do not believe Boyd victimized any children including children involved with JAOK.
However, Major Carole Newell says police did find several child pornographic photographs and one video involving child pornography on his home computer.
"I don't want people to get all up in arms thinking that he created all of this that he was filming kids or photographing kids. We have no indication of that at this phase in the investigation," says Newell. "It appears to be things that he collected not things that he produced."
In an e-mail Armstrong sent a statement on behalf of Junior Achievement writing, “These charges relate to Mr. Boyd’s home computer and the charges do not relate to any activities associated with JA property or his duties as president of JAOK.”
The JAOK board chairman also states, “We will cooperate in any way we can with the authorities, as child safety and welfare is paramount at Junior Achievement.”
Armstrong also assures the public and parents such as Files that the child porn accusations against Boyd should not be a reflection of the organization.
“Junior Achievement is a great program. I know that there can be bad apples in any program. I don't think that it reflects poorly on Junior Achievement as a program. I think that perhaps it's a wake up call to them and to all of us to be extra careful and be very vigilant in making sure that our children are safe even in places where we would expect for them to be safe,” says Files.
Broken Arrow Police believe JAOK did do an appropriate background check on Boyd before he was named the JAOK president in spring 2007.
Armstrong says Boyd’s position with Junior Achievement was administrative and did not have frequent contact with the children involved in the organization.
Court records show Boyd does not have a prior criminal history involving felony charges.
