A former teacher at an elite D.C. private school has been added to the FBI’s “10 Most Wanted Fugitives” list.
Eric Toth has been on the lam for child pornography charges for nearly four years. The FBI announced Tuesday that the 30-year-old former instructor at Beauvoir Elementary School on the grounds of the Washington National Cathedral had been added to its top 10 fugitives list.
Authorities began investigating Toth in June 2008 after pornographic images of young boys were found on a school camera the third-grade teacher possessed. An indictment filed in federal court in Maryland alleges that he enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography.
“He is a dangerous person,” said Ronald Hosko, special agent in charge of the criminal division at the FBI’s Washington field office. “He knows how to groom both adults and children so he can victimize the children.”
Toth, whose case has been featured on “America’s Most Wanted,” was put on the top 10 list because investigators believe he is likely to exploit other children and the search hasn’t had a solid lead in years, Hosko said.
Toth was last seen in Arizona in 2009 using the name “David Bussone.” He is also believed to have traveled to Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota, according to the FBI.
He is a computer expert and could try to seek employment in the education field, advertising himself as a tutor or nanny, the FBI said.
Hosko said Toth might have been able to avoid detection over the past years because he can blend into a community: He is intelligent and his appearance isn’t particularly distinctive.
Toth is the 495th person — and the 14th from the D.C. region — placed on the top 10 list. He fills the spot vacated when Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden last year. The FBI said 465 top 10 fugitives have been apprehended and about a third of those captures have resulted from citizen tips.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information that leads to Toth’s capture.
He is described as white, 6 feet 3 inches tall and 155 pounds. He has brown hair, green eyes and a mole under his left eye. Anyone with information about his whereabouts should contact the FBI at 800-CALL-FBI (2255-324) or submit information online at tips.fbi.gov.
