Authorities arrested a Santa Rosa Junior College police academy cadet on Nov. 21 on felony child pornography charges. The arrest was part of a larger regional investigation.

Ryan Andrew Imschweiler, 22, was arrested on Skylane Boulevard after Santa Rosa police served a search warrant at his home, seized and examined several computers and discovered more than 12,000 graphic images and movies depicting minors in sex acts.

Authorities acted on information provided by the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children unit and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about child pornography being uploaded and downloaded at a Santa Rosa residence earlier in November.

Though Imschweiler was paying his own way through SRJC at the time of his arrest, he was employed as a student cadet at SRJC from 2015 to 2017, according to Erin Bricker, SRJC director of district & community relations.

Imschweiler also volunteered as a police explorer and later as a community service volunteer at the Sebastopol Police Department, where he received commendations for his dedication and service.

The charges against him carry a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to $2,500.

“We are disappointed to hear that an SRJC student has been arrested under suspicion of such a crime and support SRPD’s investigation,” Bricker said.

The SRJC Police Department did not return a phone call.