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Former YMCA employee charged with child porn

Police arrested 23-year-old Michael Roussel after a search of his home on Tuesday.

BELLEVILLE, Ill. – A former YMCA employee and martial arts instructor is facing child porn charges.

Police arrested 23-year-old Michael Roussel after a search of his home on Tuesday.

Roussel was a martial arts instructor for the S.I.M.S. Martial Arts and Fitness Academy and worked at the O'Fallon, Illinois YMCA from 2016 and 2017.

Roussel was formally charged Wednesday with one count of dissemination of child pornography with the victim under the age of 13, five counts of possession of child pornography with the victim under the age of 13 and two counts of possession of child pornography with the victim under the age of 13.

Roussel also previously worked at the Goddard School in Shiloh.

“It’s horrible they’ve been around children,” said Tina Steen.

Tina Steen is a grandmother to a 6 and 8-year-old.

She said her daughter-in-law saw the story on Facebook and realized she knew Roussel from the YMCA.

“She recognized this man and definitely that the kids had been around him so of course she’s concerned,” Steen said.

"We need to tighten up our screening process and punish those who step over that line," said grandfather Lyle Boerngen.

The YMCA said they did screen Roussel.

He worked for them for five years mainly working with the youth camp.

Statement from the YMCA:

“He underwent a criminal background check and reference checks prior to hire. We never received any allegations about him. We are fully cooperating with authorities in this investigation.”

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