HARRISONBURG VA: (Rocktown Now) – A 28-year-old Rockingham County man who worked at a Harrisonburg preschool has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies following a joint investigation into child pornography, authorities said.

Zachary Harger was arrested after an investigation involving the Harrisonburg Police Department, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office and members of the NOVA–DC Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

According to police, the investigation began on Feb. 23, 2026, when the United States Secret Service forwarded information to Harrisonburg police and Homeland Security Investigations regarding a cryptocurrency account that had been used to purchase child pornography. On March 4, investigators confirmed the account belonged to Harger, who had already come to the attention of police following a complaint alleging inappropriate conduct with a child.

After receiving the new information, Harrisonburg police coordinated with the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office to further the investigation. A search warrant was executed at Harger’s residence on March 13, 2026.

Digital forensic examiners with the Harrisonburg Police Department later discovered pornographic images of a young child on Harger’s cellphone, police said. Investigators believe the images were taken in the bathroom of the preschool where Harger was employed.

The child depicted was a student at the preschool, according to authorities. In coordination with Child Protective Services and the police department’s Victim Services Liaison Unit, the victim’s family was notified. No additional information about the child will be released.
Harrisonburg police have charged Harger with four felonies: three counts of manufacturing child pornography, alleged to have occurred between Aug. 20 and Nov. 25, 2025, and one count of unlawful filming.

Police officials said they have been in direct communication with the preschool’s administration and Harrisonburg City Public Schools throughout the investigation.

“Their assistance and cooperation have been vital,” police said in a statement, adding that the agencies remain committed to ensuring student safety and conducting a thorough and timely investigation.

The Harrisonburg Police Department also credited the United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office, Child Protective Services and the NOVA–DC ICAC Task Force for their role in the case.